who we are | what we do | portfolio | philosophy | faq
What
do you do?
How long does it take?
What does it cost?
How much work do I have to
do?
You can't be experts on everything,
can you?
How do I know that I'll get
an exhibit or media piece that I like?
What's the difference between
a planning and design firm like yourselves, and a firm that does both
design and fabrication? Is one approach cheaper or better than another?
What's the difference between
yourselves and an architectural firm?
Should I have all the money
needed for the project as a whole in place before I begin any work?
How do you work long distance?
Do you also provide a turn-key
solution?
OK, but I have some other
questions.
What
do you do?
We plan and design exhibits. We help institutions and companies articulate
their needs, develop goals and design an approach that results in a finished
exhibit or media presentation. We do Master Planning; conduct focus groups;
do research on any topic; interface with your staff or selected consultants;
provide design concepts and solutions; aid in fund-raising; produce construction
drawings; write and edit labels; provide graphic design; produce media
programs; oversee production and installation.
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How long does it take?
Our shortest exhibit took 2 months. Our longest, 6 years. It depends on
the size of the exhibit; the amount of work required; the budget; your
goals. On average, it is best to have 6-9 months for planning; 6-8 months
for design; and 6 months for fabrication and installation for a permanent
exhibit of 5 - 15,000 square feet.
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What does it cost?
Our fee is based on a percentage of the construction cost of the exhibit
as a whole. It ranges from 20-40% of this total cost and depends on whether
we are doing all the research and writing or whether your staff is involved;
and if we are acting as the General Contractor or not. We can also work
on a time and materials basis. One way to get a rough idea of the total
construction cost is to determine the available square footage.
Then:
•
If you want a 'low-tech' exhibit (few artifacts; no media or computer
interactives; primarily graphics; minimal custom cabinetry, no created
environments) multiply by $175.
• A middle level exhibit (some artifacts in cases; some media including
computer interactives and audio; some sculpted figures; custom cabinetry)
multiply by $300.
• A 'high-tech' exhibit (extensive use of media, including custom
computer interactives, original media productions; a large number of artifacts
or graphics in cases; sculpted figures; custom environments throughout)
multiply by $500. There are many ways to cut costs, including the use
of local contractors for non exhibit-specific tasks; securing of donated
materials and services; using new and less expensive media. We are happy
to discuss the options. Media projects are based on the total running
time; the medium; the number of shooting days required; rights, research
and reproduction fees; computer animation (if any); the intended use.
We can provide an itemized quote based on your needs.
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How much work do I have to do?
As much as you want to. You can be actively involved in all content and
design decisions on a regular basis; or together we can structure regular
meetings to make sure your concerns are addressed; or we can schedule
more formal design presentations where you review our work. We'll structure
our relationship based on the realistic level of involvement you desire.
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You can't be experts on everything, can you?
Of course not. But what we are experts in is communication. We become
familiar with any topic quickly and, because we are experienced museum
professionals, we have a network of consultants with whom we work. We
can also work well with consultants that you request. Or we can help to
identify any needed experts beyond your own staff if needed.
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How do I know that I'll get an exhibit or
media piece
that I like?
We provide many mileposts along the way to make sure we are on track.
You'll see 'bubble diagrams' and sketches; rough floorplans; models; story
boards and outlines; narrative descriptions of the anticipated visitor
experience. We'll have meetings and presentations for each step in the
process. You'll see samples of colors and finishes; label typefaces and
sizes. You will not be taken by surprise at the end.
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What's the difference between a planning and
design firm like yourselves, and a firm that does both design and fabrication?
Is one approach cheaper or better than another?
The best exhibits are done by firms that separate these functions from
each other. And cost is comparable. Builders do not have the expertise
to research and develop concepts or to develop designs whose goal is communication.
Builders are experts at taking designs and determining the most cost-effective
ways of executing them. You wouldn't want the contractor to design your
museum. That's why there are architects.
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What's the difference between yourselves and
an architectural firm?
There are many similarities and some very significant differences. Architects
have the responsibility to design structures that function architecturally.
They consider traffic flow, utility and aesthetics. Exhibit designers
communicate ideas in space. We tell our client’s stories. We work
to assure that the exhibits integrate within a building. Fit and finish
are important concerns of ours. But we place our emphasis on the exhibit
content and use of space for the visitor that they 'get' the message we
jointly develop with our client. Architects are not trained in this area.
And, unlike architects, we are aware of specific museum concerns: preservation,
conservation, visitor studies, evaluation, etc.
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Should I have all the money needed for the
project as a whole in place before I begin any work?
You should have a fund-raising goal, an idea as to the total cost of the
project and a plan for how to get there. We need to know the approximate
budget available, so we may design accordingly. But you do not need to
have everything in hand to begin planning. We can help structure the project
into manageable phases. The conceptual design plan we prepare is a road-map
that also helps in fund-raising.
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How do you work long distance?
Faxes are great; e-mail is even better. And new technologies allow us
to post drawings, documents, and streaming video on our web site. We contract
for a specific number of meetings, based on our experience of what is
needed. We work efficiently and have not found distance to be an issue.
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Do you also provide a turn-key solution?
Yes. Here are the different ways projects can be structured:
- Separate contract for the designer and the builder
- A joint venture of the designer and builder
- As a 'turnkey' where we hire the exhibit builder
- As a 'turnkey' where the exhibit builder hires us
- Separate design contract that includes the production of a bid document
package and the supervising of the selection of a builder based on their
response to a Request for Proposals (RFP).
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OK, but I have some other questions.
Great. Press the link here to contact
us directly. We're happy to begin a dialogue about your project, needs
or dreams.
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