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Imagemakers Interpretive Design & Consulting October 2009 August 2009

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A cultural evolution in China

The Tang Dynasty (618 907) was a golden age for China. During this period, it became the most powerful and prosperous country in the world as commerce, culture and military might flourished.
Right: Daming Palace projection pod & moveable shelter for archaeological dig Overleaf: Tang Feast picnic table & model village

So bringing the palace to life and telling the stories of those who lived there is a real challenge. Its one we were delighted to take up when invited by Heritage and Tourism International (HTI), a partnership between Oxford Archaeology and Team Tourism, to consult on the creative development of interpretive strategies and techniques for this huge site. HTI and Imagemakers looked at a number of immersive and engaging approaches, ranging from cutting edge technology to more simple methods. One of the most exciting aspects of the whole project is the unprecedented access visitors will have to archaeological excavations as they are taking place. This will give the opportunity for Daming to be a benchmark for archaeological and interpretive best practice where techniques and theories are tested and explored. In the meantime, our collective proposals and visuals are being considered by the Chinese developers of the Daming Palace Heritage and Interpretation Park.

Daming Palace was a fitting monument to this prosperity. It was the major residence of emperors and the grandest, most significant palace complex in the Changan imperial city. The most impressive of all the buildings was Hanuyan Hall where important guests of the emperor were welcomed. But all that remains for todays visitors to see are the rammed earth foundations, covered in concrete to protect them, giving no sense of history or wonder of this amazing site.

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A first for Scotland

For the first time in 400 years, beavers can be seen in the wilds of Scotland thanks to a ground-breaking initiative.
Visitors to Knapdale Forest, the Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) site hosting the trial, can also watch and discover the beavers, aided by the bespoke interpretation we designed for the reserve. The installations interpret the project, orientate people and help them identify the signs that beavers are present. They range from flag posts for a lochside trail featuring gnawed wood, engraved paw prints and small what to look for boards in both English and Gaelic, to large graphic panels and a life-size beaver sculpture for the information centre. The Beaver Trial is run by Scottish WildlifeTrust, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the FCS as host partners and monitored by Scottish Natural Heritage.

An Invitation
Three beaver families have been released on a nature reserve in Argyll, in a scheme which is also the first ever formal reintroduction of a native mammal into the wild in the UK. The six-year experiment by the Scottish Beaver Trial partnership aims to see how well the animals fit in to todays countryside and the beavers will be closely monitored. Imagemakers is pleased to announce the launch of its new website. You are cordially invited to view the site (imagemakers.uk.com), where there will be regular updates about new media and its place in the interpreters tool-kit, and to join in the debate on the blog, set up as a place for interpretation professionals to exchange ideas. RSVP imagemakersblog.blogspot.com

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How they lived then

Sustainability may be one of the buzz-words of our time, but we can learn much from the self-sufficiency practised at Harvington Hall in the past.
All the essentials for life were produced on the estate surrounding this moated manor house in Worcestershire, from fish and meat to the hops and barley used to make beer. This was the drink du jour as water was undrinkable, and the raw ingredients were processed in the Malt House, an 18th century building which still contains the malting-kiln and other malting equipment. An economic survey of the estate carried out in 1745 gives us a clear picture of how tenants, servants and estate workers like the maltster enabled the hall to survive (and its owners to thrive). Their daily lives are the subject of an interpretive film we produced for Harvington Hall Restoration Trust as part of a display in the Malt House. In the film, characters from the period are getting ready for a visit from the Throckmorton family, who used Harvington as a second home; the cook prepares food, the maltster demonstrates his craft and a maid discovers one of the halls many priest holes. The characters and facets of their work recur throughout the multi-sensory exhibition with, for example, an image of the maltster at work triggered by a passive infrared sensor (PIR) and an imitation fire flickering in the kiln. Life on the estate can also be explored through a number of beautifully handcrafted low-tech interactive games. Harvington Halls manager Sherida Breeden is pleased with the scheme I found working with Imagemakers both stimulating and enriching. We had a clear vision of how we wanted the Malt House to be interpreted and the staff from Imagemakers assisted us to fulfil that vision with their unique style, bringing their extensive experience into play to enhance our ideas so that the end result was something we can all be proud of.

Below: A scene from the Harvington interpretive film

Above: Part of the exhibition in the renovated Malt House

Working with Imagemakers was both stimulating and enriching... the end result was something we can all be proud of.

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At the heart of the community

From a home of the powerful and privileged to a building in decay, Llanelly House has seen dramatic changes since it was built nearly three hundred years ago.
crucially, exciting and innovative interpretation to engage the local community and attract visitors to the region. It can now be taken forward following an award of 3.4 million by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Imagemakers is delighted to have contributed the interpretive plan to the successful bid. According to CHRTs Bob Parker Working with Imagemakers was a very positive experience. They really got to the heart of Llanelly House and delivered some excellent, well thought out proposals in the interpretive plan which assisted in the success of our funding application. We particularly liked the way that they took care to listen carefully to our needs and took on board the views of the community that all helped to build a better project for us. Our proposals were drawn up after extensive research and consultation with stakeholders and community groups who helped formulate ideas and concepts. Among our suggestions to celebrate the history of the house were pod and vodcasts, state-of-the-art CG graphics, live interpretation and outreach projects to involve the local community at the very start of the restoration of Llanelly House.

Imagemakers got to the heart of Llanelly House, and delivered some excellent, well thought out proposals
Right: Llanelly House & concept design for the Great Parlours interactive tables

But its latest transformation into a new community heritage centre and resource centre promises to be the most revolutionary change yet. Llanelly House is now at the centre of plans to bring investment, regeneration and cultural reinvention to the town of Llanelli. The scheme, drawn up by Carmarthenshire Heritage Regeneration Trust (CHRT) in partnership with many local groups, includes the complete interior and exterior restoration of the house to Georgian splendour and,

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The stories in the stones

The rocks of Northwest Scotland tell stories of the oceans, vast deserts and huge ice sheets which created this ancient landscape.
First time visitors to the area are awed by the monumental mountain ranges and the fascinating geological features. Of particular significance is Knockan Crag, the only National Nature Reserve designated solely for its geology. It was here that the Moine Thrust where older rock layers could move over and above younger rocks was discovered and played a key role in developing geological understanding and theory. to both access and interpretation. We have now embarked on a process of reassessing and refreshing the interpretation to tell the remarkable story of Scotlands geology and the people who made, quite literally, earth shattering discoveries here. As a result, Scottish Natural Heritage asked us to devise an interpretive plan in which we addressed two key areas raising the profile of the NNR as a visitor destination and improving the visitor experience through effective promotion and interpretation. We reviewed the existing interpretive installations and recommended where these needed replacing and what techniques could be used to meet learning, behavioural and emotional objectives. Among our detailed proposals for the Rock Room shelter was an interactive geologists desk where geological theories from the past are linked to the present and also life-size tactile models of the two Victorian geologists who first posited these theories. Other suggestions included a geocache trail to encourage visitors onto the wider reserve, creative marketing tools to use on and offsite and updating leaflets and the website.

Sue Agnew, Reserve Manager, Knockan Crag NNR said The Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve is one of Scotlands flagship NNRs and so it is very important that we maintain the high standards we have set ourselves here with respect

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RORY DALL OCAHAN

FINVOLA

ST. CANICE

Powerful forces of nature at work

The River Roe is an artery of life and power coursing through County Derry and mankind has been harnessing that energy for centuries.
The river fuelled linen mills and Northern Irelands first commercial hydro-electric scheme. Its provided fish for food and is the stuff of legends. Today, its important for wildlife conservation and a place for recreation. Various interpretive devices feature within the frieze, such as evocative words in large text and interactives, including a holographic display which reveals how the river became known as the red river. A central cluster of rocky boulders hold more hands-on activities, while audio-visual and sound and light effects add to the immersive experience. The same bold graphic approach was taken at Ness Country Park, the Northern Ireland Environment Agencys newly-created country park, where the story focuses on seminative woodland. The exhibition is dominated by a huge image of an ancient oak tree covering an entire internal elevation. Woodland facts, written in large text, leap out from the photograph, reinforcing the importance of this habitat as a life support system. Panels, audio and low-tech interactives interpret other aspects of the woodland story. Ian Braund, Regional Operations Project Manager for the Agency says We are delighted with our new exhibitions and hope that the quality and interactive elements in our visitor centres will encourage visitors from near and far. Working with Matthew Jones (Project Manager for Imagemakers) was a great experience as he gave us an insight into new and exciting ways of interpreting our sites for visitors.

POWER SUSTAIN
ENERGY

Working with Imagemakers was both stimulating and enriching... the end result was something we can all be proud of.
These stories are graphically illustrated in an exhibition we created for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in the Roe Valley Country Park visitor centre. A large frieze of specially commissioned aerial photos of the river from source to sea runs around part of the space, incorporating a stylized representation of the river.

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Making a museum for all

Welcoming, fun, familiar and informal were amongst the key words chosen by the museum team to describe their aspirations for the redisplay of Gloucester City Museum and Art Gallery.
Revitalising their experience while rejuvenating the collections was the aim of a scheme to tell the citys story chronologically. Our role was to assist the Gloucester City Museums Service team in creating a contemporary design and layout for the museum, to be incorporated into a sizeable funding bid. We developed a mood board for the interior spaces and gallery concept designs, all chosen to promote a relaxed atmosphere throughout. Our inspiration for the sample graphic we devised was the Iron Age artefacts found near Birdlip which include a beautifully ornate patterned mirror. We also advised on costings and on the content of the museum development plan. Louise Allen, Collections Care Manager, commented: We were all very excited about undertaking this project ourselves and had some strong ideas about what we wanted to do, we were just a bit nervous about how to go about putting our ideas into practice. Working with Imagemakers gave us the confidence to go ahead. Their friendly informal approach and much needed help and advice was just what we required. The museum services plans to transform the museum into a learning space for all can now be realised following their successful HLF application.

Whats up & coming...

Client: Kent County Council Project: Shorne Woods Content: An energetic interpretation of this country parks habitats and inhabitants through the ages, using interactives, bold graphics and letter-press style design to create an engaging contemporary exhibition with child appeal for the eco-friendly visitor centre. Client: Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust Project: Llyn Coed y Dinas Content: Providing on-site interpretation including graphics, audio and sculpture and, as a separate project, undertaking a feasibility study for a new visitor centre for this nature reserve, which was created from a gravel pit dug to provide material for the Welshpool bypass. Client: Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust Project: Berry Head Content: A multi-faceted scheme including an immersive audio-visual room within the visitor centre focusing on the key stories of this National Nature Reserve, multiple outdoor installations across the site, audio and geocache trails and leaflets. The scheme is part of the Berry Head On the Edge project which will completely rejuvenate the areas heritage and the way people experience it. Client: South Norfolk Council Project: South Norfolk Geocache Trail Content: Encouraging active and informed visits at a network of conservation and wildlife sites in South Norfolk through a trail leaflet and accompanying cache boxes interpreting the special features of each site. Client: Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre Project: De Witt Kilns Content: Interpreting the processes involved in quarrying chalk on site and then converting it into lime in these kilns constructed in the early 20th century and now listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Client: Jurassic Coast Team Project: Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site gateways Content: Interpretation plans for Seaton focusing on water management, the wildlife of the Axe estuary and the formation of the Undercliff, and for the main gateway centre at Exmouth on the themes of earth sciences and the Exe estuary. Proposals include multisensory exhibitions, webcams and fog screens (walk through projected waterfalls which are dry).

Below: Ancient People Gallery concept

Gloucesters rich heritage is presented through an impressive array of collections at the museum, including significant archaeological finds, natural history specimens and fine and decorative art. Its a popular place with local people of all ages and backgrounds who visit and revisit.

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