The team “Every detail carries meaning.”

If you think creating a book with seven double-page spreads and no text is quick and simple, think again! Representing the many people involved in the project, Laura Graser (left on the first picture), Lucie Schroeder (right) and Marc Scozzai share the highlights from the (very long) journey to bring Rotondes’ Wimmelbuch to life.

Rotondes had previously ventured into innovative publishing with D’Sandmeedchen, an augmented reality book, and the flipbook Tandem Running. Now, with Rotondes’ Wimmelbuch, we’ve once again embraced an original and creative format. Where did the idea come from?

Laura: Personally, I think Wimmelbücher are fantastic – I’ve had so much fun exploring them with my children. They’re a form of storytelling that bridges multiple disciplines, and we quickly realised it could be a wonderful artistic object and an educational tool to showcase what Rotondes is all about.

Lucie: The Wimmelbuch format is a perfect match for Rotondes. It reflects what we do: there’s always a variety of people working here, engaging with diverse audiences, and always in activity. There’s always something happening.

Laura: It’s constantly ​“wimmeling” [Wimmeln in English: bustling, swarming, Ed.], so we simply adapted the idea! [smiles] It’s worth noting the distinction between Wimmelbücher where each page is packed with activity and those where recurring characters and actions connect the pages. We opted for the latter.

Marc: Our aim was to create a Wimmelbuch with a Rotondes twist – less conventional, not solely geared towards a young audience, but also engaging for curious adults. That’s reflected both in the content and in the way it’s presented.

That’s why the choice of the illustrator was a pivotal decision. How did you determine that Viktoria Mladenovski was the perfect fit for the project?

Marc: A book like this isn’t created in a single season, and that was especially true for this particular one because of the extensive effort we put into finding the right person.

Laura: We didn’t take the decision lightly. We assembled a working group, drafted a detailed brief, compiled a shortlist, and met with potential candidates…

Marc: We really gave a lot of thought to who should have this opportunity. While several names immediately came to mind, we were also keen to avoid defaulting to someone we’d already worked with.

Laura: It was important for us to give this opportunity to an artist from Luxembourg or the surrounding region.

Marc: We also wanted to collaborate with someone who works as a full-time illustrator, not someone juggling another job and illustrating on the side.

Lucie: It wasn’t just about their artistic style, either. We knew this would be a long-term project spanning multiple seasons, so finding someone who could collaborate effectively was essential. None of us were familiar with Viki’s work before. Someone came across her Instagram or website during their research, and that’s how it all began.

Laura mentioned a detailed brief that required regular visits to the site.

Lucie: We thought it would be valuable for Viki to witness Rotondes in full swing during key events like the Congés Annulés, Fabula Rasa, or the PICelectroNIC. We also wanted her to experience our major participatory projects. She took that opportunity to sit quietly in corners, observe, meet team members, and gather amusing anecdotes to include in the book’s spreads.

Was it easy to determine the structure of the book?

Marc: We quickly agreed with Viki on the overall structure, based on the set number of pages. We decided to focus on the buildings, starting with a dense overview on the first spread. From there, we zoomed in on specific areas like the Rotonde 1, the Container City, and so on, each with its own unique atmosphere. As the project progressed, we also introduced a seasonal theme. This provided the framework, while the narrative evolved around the characters. Some characters appear throughout, creating a story that ties the pages together.

Lucie: From the very first sketches, we were sold. Viki immediately understood what we were aiming for. The only changes we requested were small details, like removing a character who was taking photos in the Black Box seating area, as photography isn’t allowed during performances. [smiles] But that was just a minor tweak.

You shared early drafts with primary school classes. How did they react?

Lucie: We reached out to teachers who had attended one of our workshops on children’s books and asked them to show their pupils the first spread, without offering too much guidance, to see what they made of it.

Marc: The younger children mostly described what they saw. But by cycle 3, the pupils were noticing the diversity of the characters, their clothes, their makeup… They commented on the setting and how it seemed like a place where everyone could be themselves, somewhere they could imagine living. It was incredibly touching.

Laura: Viki is deeply committed to inclusivity and diversity. We began with a book that revealed Rotondes’ behind-the-scenes life, but the way it’s presented is far from neutral or accidental. Every detail carries meaning and resonates differently with readers depending on their age and sensitivity.

Rotondes’ Wimmelbuch could have been part of a nice exhibition…

Marc: Initially, we planned to organise an exhibition as part of Fabula Rasa 2025. However, with the site’s renovation projects moving ahead, we no longer had the available space.

Laura: While we can’t host Fabula Rasa in its usual form, the book still allows us to follow our motto: ​“Telling stories differently.” We’re doing it our way, with workshops, a live drawing concert, and digital activities on 26 January for the book launch.