Issue 37 Spring 23 WEB - Flipbook - Page 82
Unusual Expo
do exactly that
As a design team they have been delivering imaginative projects since the mid 1980’s
with experience across museums, heritage, events and attractions. “We feel that we are
always able to bring a little more to the projects we get involved in thanks to our wide mix of
experience.” Says Martin Wilkie, Design Director. “Especially within the Heritage sector.”
Quite often the outlook from established venues can be
understandably conservative but we find that our
audiences often relish the unexpected when visiting
somewhere established.” Martin’s enthusiasm for dealing
with ‘unusual’ venues and spaces is obvious.
Unusual Expo have recently worked with the team at
Cardiff Castle to bring an often overlooked historical
character to life. Back in 1316 Llywelyn Bren fought for
the rights of the Welsh people and was cruelly and unjustly executed at the castle. The new visitor experience
is contained within the tower in which he was imprisoned.
Martin explains; “The spaces were being used as ad-hoc
storage which is often what happens to rooms that people
working there can’t see for what they are worth in terms
of a visitor experience. Given the creative brief to bring
these rooms back to life gave us so many exciting opportunities. The story itself is an amazing heroic tale and audience reaction both young and old has been fantastic.
This is where knowing how to get the best out of a story
whilst respecting historic environments really pays off.”
The Unusual Expo team quickly identified the visitor flow
and devised a clever three stage staff guided experience.
The first room feels like a museum department complete
with projects undergoing conservation. It’s only when the
14th century tapestry comes to life (with clever projected
animation) that you realise you are in a different world.
The castle’s actual portcullis mechanism is equally effective in coming to life when in fact it is another projection
trick with an added set of winches and chains adding to
the theatre. In the main room you are sat down in genuine
reclaimed church pews as a giant book, The Black Tower
Tales unfolds before your very eyes. The mortal enemy
character appears as a holographic vision complete with
dramatic effects and a highly immersive three wall projection sequence. It has added a significant extra offer for
visitors without any structural changes. Finding extra
