Aerial is run by Brendan Walker who originally trained as an aeronautical engineer at Imperial College, London and worked for British Aerospace Military Aircraft for five years before undertaking an MA in Industrial Design Engineering at the Royal College of Art, London. For eight years Brendan combined his professional practice with working in the research studio of the Interaction Design Department at the RCA. In that time he collaborated on several major international research projects. In recent years he has defined his own design research domain, chromo11: engineering the thrill, which was funded by both the AHRB and the Wellcome Trust. He originally wanted to understand his romance with moving structures, and their potential to thrill him. However, this led him to ask a more fundamental question; can design effectively elicit an emotional response? In chromo11 he attempted to answer this question by drawing on his collective interests and training in art, design, science and engineering to explore the phenomenon of thrill.
Aerial now specialises in the creation of tailored emotional experience. Aerial offers strategic consultancy; the design and production of intriguing interactive electromechanical installations, sculptures and rides; and the curating and staging of engaging events.
Aerial undertakes both commercial and arts-funded projects.