Here is a very cool concept that we believe deserves to be built:
It comes from the company Pensa. Actually would be great to see these at museums with water or think of how you might riff on this idea for other “plants” or objects.
A great alchemy of art, technology, inspiration and message.
Posted in: Alchemy Today, Experiences and Museums, Uncategorized
Over the past weekend, ALCHEMY studio had the honor and pleasure to deliver the keynote address for the first international Turkish Science Centre Symposium in Bursa Turkey.
While late to the science center movement the people, communities and government of Turkey are enthusiastic and ardent about improving scientific and technological literacy – life long – as their more experienced and long er established brethren in the Americas, Europe and Pacific. Representatives of various municipalities throughout Turkey, as well as educators and university students, discussed implementation, development and operational issues that they are all experiencing.
The references cited in these appers have some very famialiar friends’ names that we all know.
Already our fellow Turkish science center professionals are creating experiences beyond science centers including science festivals, outreach and science and technological competitions. They have already learned the value of mutiple platforms and mediums in delivering the message and engaging the community.
Meanwhile their future is still filled with challenges. The current spurt of activity is being fueled by a forward thinking initiative by the national government - directed through TUBITAK the national science organization. From the symposium two of the major challenges that is being grappled with are the follwoing
1. How to set aside the time and process to actually think through in a thoughtful way how to meet the needs of the community. A community that can have widely diverse backgrounds, ages and interests. There is an eagerness to get this done, but this doestake time to be done correctly.
2. Secondly is how to navigate the experience development process and to not just create cooking cutter copies of science centers from Europe, North America or from even with Turkey. While certainly they will draw on that experience, the Turkish culture, history, geography, environment, economy deserve their own unique experiences. Not to mention this is the way to actually develop and create a uniquely Turkish exhibit community as well.
But from the symposium it is clear they understand the challenges. Already an emerging Turkish exhibition production business group is forming as evidenced by the number of them whom came and spoke to us at the symposium. And certainly the representatives of TUBITAK are aware and are working hard on guiding the process towards a successful outcome.
In conclusion this first gathering was truly both an encouraging and positive sign for the Turkish Science Center conference. Our hosts in Bursa did an excellent job and were gracious and warm. Certainly therTurkish science center movement is on a positive tack. Here at ALCHEMY studio we are excited to be part of it and look forward to seeing this movement flower.
Here are some links to the news converge:
http://www.zaman.com.tr/haber.do?haberno=1291495&title=bilim-merkezleri-sempozyumu-bursada-yapilacak
Posted in: Experiences and Museums, News
ALCHEMY studio has recently begun early schematic design and visioning for the Children’s Science Center in Virginia. A science center/children/s museum hybrid, ALCHEMY studio has begun to provide the first look at what the experience will be like. The illustration here is of the Earth/Energy/Sustainability zone for the institution.
Posted in: News
So it would appear that even we as institutions can be become the focus of scale and yes it still is fascinating for all the reasons of the former blog post. At the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Graduate Exhibition Design Thesis this lovely model of the New York Hall of Science’s Wallace Harrison– designed Great Hall wsa on display. Model done by Marlene Paufler, graduatee student, of her project the Science of Dreams.
Here the Hand of God comes down to interact with the Great Hall.
God is played by Paul Orselli (eat you heart out Eric Siegel!) Look for more in the near term about the entire FIT graduate event.
Posted in: Experiences and Museums
Some recent encounters with several exhibits and experiences have been a reminder of the magic and impact that playing with scale can have on us and is a reminder that this is an important tool in the out “tool box” here at ALCHEMY studio and for other designers.
The purposes of this discussion refer to the idea of scale reference a parameter of an object’s size. By object we might mean the “artifact” that is the exhibit or we may mean the an environmental piece that sets a context for an exhibition
Here are two recent examples encountered at the Walker Art Center
Making something big:
Folding chair Robert Therrien
Photos: Wayne LaBar and Paul Schmelzer; Walker Art Center blog
Making something small
Maurizio Cattelan Untitled
Photos : Wayne LaBar
Mulling on this and thinking of other successful examples used by other museums such as the giant heart at the Franklin Institute, the images we see on in IMAX and giant screen films or on the small scale the model railroads at the Carnegie Science Center, the Lego amusement worlds found over the globe it – what is it that attracts us to this and often makes these experiences memorable and extraordinary. In addition, there are times when this fails. Numerous are the examples of large “walk through human bodies” that never seem to rise above a feeling of “fake” or “schlock.” Detail , quality and immersiveness are key
So some observation on successful uses of scale.
Scale…
What other ideas come to mind about the power of these playful, thoughtful and imaginative uses of scale?
Posted in: Experiences and Museums