Selected Project
Weird & Wonderful, Natural History Centre
Commissioned to refurbish and completely re-design the previous highly successful gallery, completed in 1995, the company developed broader themes and objectives in this new design, allowing local natural history to be situated within the context of a wider world. This unusually long gallery set in the Auckland Museum is on 3 levels and allows for a complex dimension to differing visitor engagement. It is set up into 5 interrelated but distinct natural history themes - the: - 'Subterranean', - 'Living Layers', - the local 'Auckland Isthmus', - the 'Blue Seas' - and the 'Observatory' each having a distinct architectural identity. Binding these areas is a ‘spine’ of Maori themes based around the concept of water or 'wai mauri' - in its many different states. Jury comments: Weird and Wonderful combines architecture with installation to produce a unique form of exhibition design. Developed out of a sophisticated understanding of a youthful delight in collaged space, it is an amalgamation of found objects, interpretive juxtapositions and improvised structures. The design results in a casualness that belies the complex thought processes, prolific drawings and onsite collaboration required to create such an open ended and layered journey. The feast of colour in this interior is a carefully composed palette that supports and enhances the dynamic spatiality and focused learning experiences within the environment.
- Category
- Exhibition
- Location
