DREAM STATE DESIGN
exhibitions - visitor experiences - products
New Zealand history exhibitions
My extensive knowledge and experience of designing narrative and thematic storytelling exhibitions shows an aptitude to conceive and shape vibrant and relatable design ideas using a complex array of interpretive materials and objects. I often incorporate moments of theatre to amplify the storytelling experience, capturing visitors' attention and to help guide them through the narrative.
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Image: Out on the Street: New Zealand in the 1970s at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Slice of Heaven: Aotearoa in the 20thC
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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The brief outlined the aspiration for an unexpected approach to a New Zealand history exhibition and to allow for efficient change-outs in storylines. In response I designed a series of 'pods' to capture the themes. The 'Homegrown' theme was a pod enveloped in artificial grass taking a lighthearted look at everyday objects through the century, and was located with a view to be annexed to a future development of a children's learning / creative space.
I assembled a suite of mini dioramas for visitors to investigate and reminisce over. Detail included sourcing original objects, wall paper and floor coverings of the era. LEDs were hidden in and behind the objects to create depth and interest. A soundscape was developed, featuring everyday homely sounds including garden sprinklers, dogs barking, milk bottle deliveries, lawn mowers and door bells.
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A life size diorama depicted a typical New Zealand family and living room during World War II. I provided sketches and briefs to model makers and scenographers to source and fabricate content. Running parallel with the interpretation on the glass barriers was an audio production evocative of a radio serial drama of the time, describing the scene.
WAR: Our legacy, Our challenge
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Puke Ariki
A complex narrative with a diverse range of objects, the design of the infrastructure needed to emphasise the navigation route. The route was highlighted by internally lit beams overhead. The black stained beams traversed walls into different sections, suggesting recent collapse, metaphorically relaying a sense of oppression and tension.
Volume: Making music in Aotearoa
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Auckland War Memorial Museum
An immersive participatory exhibition, the spatial design provided a clear chronological path with a balanced distribution of formal exhibit content alongside contemporary immersive spaces.
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I was required to design new exhibition furniture that would complement the existing display furniture and accomodate a large and diverse range of loan objects, as seen here with a storyline featuring the artist Lorde.
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I designed large double side display cases within walls to allow objects to be appreciated in three dimensions. Audiovisual monitors were recessed into walls and framed by large murals. Object arrangements in freestanding cases maximised viewing opportunities of smaller objects.
Circular apertures throughout provided teasing sightlines into other areas of the exhibition, reinforcing the sense of chronology and providing glimpses into immersive spaces.
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I designed a suite of contemporary and versatile retail furniture for a pop-up store located within the exhibition space.
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The Pop-up Museum, Tupaia and the Endeavour
Auckland War Memorial Museum
The mobile prototype comprised of five double sided mobile units, each with different content. The complex nature of the requirements of each unit required careful consideration and resolution to meet the design criteria:
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Create an experience that is highly interactive, but robust enough to withstand high usage by children, and go on tour.
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Create a mobile design that is future proofed to work with different content at a later date, can be maintained affordably, and has potential to grow.
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Design robust and durable hands-on activities
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Create and design flatpack components that can be transported in one van and reassembled / set up with 2 people
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Reproduce elements of the Tupaia and the Endeavour exhibition in a pop-up Museum format
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Integrate digital components, with all hardware travelling safely within the furniture
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Ensure that children and groups are able to physically access the content
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Develop a strong design aesthetic that won’t date and can be updated with colour and materials
Costumes and a backdrop for selfie opportunities were located on one unit. All units were designed to function independently depending on venue and location.
A folding shelf concealed in the main unit supported the projector. The projector is stored inside a display case on the reverse face of the unit when travelling.
Headphones travel within the main unit, secured with a lockable hatch. I designed a simple and flexible approach for graphic delivery and installation to ensure the shapes and forms of a graphic series can change to suit any particular exhibition / promotional product. In these examples the graphic designer reproduced the visual identity of the main exhibition as it appeared in the museum.
Drawers and cupboards contained props and allowed for efficient content change overs.