Exhibition Design: An Introduction

✍ Scribed by Philip Hughes

• Publisher: Laurence King Publishing
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 232
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Exhibition Design 2 describes the skills needed to become an exhibition designer, including: developing a brief and working with clients; design principles for graphics, circulation, lighting, and accessibility; presenting ideas to clients; and the practicalities of production. A wealth of visual material includes photographs of completed exhibitions by world-renowned designers, concept drawings, computer renderings, charts and tables of information—all for a wide range of exhibitions around the world, permanent and temporary, including museums and galleries, visitor centres, brand experiences, festivals and trade fairs. This second edition includes new examples, updated information on the latest digital technology, and expanded coverage of interactives and sound and film.

✦ Table of Contents

Introduction
Who this book is for
The modern exhibition
The history of exhibition design
Recent developments
The role of the exhibition designer
How to use this book
Chapter 1: The brief
How specific should a brief be?
What kind of language should a brief use?
Strategy
Content and assets
Audience
Time and money
Chapter 2: The visitor
Engaging the visitor
Layering for diverse audiences
Learning styles
Branding
The brand environment
Teenagers and museums
Designing for disability/accessibility
Chapter 3: The site
The permanent exhibition site
Signposting the exhibition site
Signposting trade fairs
“Open” exhibition spaces
“Closed” exhibition spaces
Internal organization: architecture
Internal organization: content
How to survey a site
Chapter 4: Exhibition strategy
What is an exhibition strategy?
Classifying the exhibits
Devising a path
The importance of experiences
Chapter 5: 3-D design skills
Generating guiding ideas
Evolving a design
Developing the design using sketches, models and plans
Planning the circulation
Developing elevations
The direction of flow
Chapter 6: Graphic design skills
The role of graphics in an exhibition
Approaches to exhibition graphics
Designing for legibility
Designing for readability
Reproducing graphics
Chapter 7: Lighting
How lighting is used in exhibitions
The human eye
Surveying the site
The lighting plan
Exhibit-focused lighting
Environmental lighting
Feature lighting
Coloured lighting
Lighting for comfort
Conservation
Lighting specifications
Trade fairs
Professional practice
Chapter 8: Interactives
Interactive media
The visitor experience
Technology
What kind of interactive?
What makes a successful interactive?
Writing an interactive brief
Other considerations
Chapter 9: Sound and film
The benefits of sound and film
The pitfalls of sound and film
Types of linear media in exhibitions
Writing an audiovisual brief
Acoustic considerations
How to ensure quality media experiences
Limiting factors
Chapter 10: Materials
Choosing materials
Deciding on suitable materials
Chapter 11: Portable exhibitions
Flexible designs
Chapter 12: Technical drawing
The purpose of technical drawings
Labels, details and notes
Official approvals
Tenders
Amending drawings
Chapter 13: Construction and delivery
Construction
Trade fairs
The green agenda
The designer’s responsibilities
Trade practices
Children’s exhibits
Project management
Ancillary services
Handover
Chapter 14: Conclusion
An evolving discipline
Green design
The future
Endmatter
Accessibility guidelines
Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Exhibition Design
Sample storyline
Glossary
Further reading/Useful websites
Index
Picture credits
Acknowledgements