National Park Interpretation Centre
IN ONE LINE...
Panel production and internal fit-out of the Norfolk Island National Park Interpretation Centre at the Norfolk Island Botanic Garden.
TEAMWORK/SERVICE DESIGN/TOOLS/COLLABORATIONS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT
Insprint was approached by a contracted design consultancy in Canberra, Australia that was awarded a Government contract through the Australian National Parks and Norfolk Island National Park and Botanic Garden. I consulted with them on the overall project and was engaged to manufacture interpretation panels for their walls and standing panels throughout the room and I was engaged to install the panels as well as commissioned banners, and roof sculptures to the building. I worked with the appointed team in the most part to discuss the visitor experience in the constructed space. I was not responsible for the design of the interpretation centre or panels though I worked with them to determine the quantity of information that we could present in the space and how that would work visually, so in many ways I was a consultant for the project planning and then a manufacturer of the work. I worked with their designs and made the panels we agreed would work, and then I project led the installation of them as well as banners and bird sculptures that has been commissioned and supplied. Software – Adobe Creative Suite, manufacture – wide format Epson Printers, Hotpress pressure mounter and workshop equipment and others. Scissor lift and installation equipment required.
Category
Manufacture, Print, Service DesignAbout This Project
The Norfolk Island National Park and Botanic Garden Interpretation centre was a fun project where I had the opportunity to work closely with the contracted team that had been engaged to design the interpretation panels and overall experience of the centre. I consulted on the project which was the result of an interpretation centre I had constructed a couple of years previously called the World of Norfolk Exhibit. That exhibit had glass standing panels throughout which the team engaged for this project wanted replicate, as well as a very similar wall panel I had constructed for the Sirius Museum and Norfolk Island Museums in Kingston. I had all of the equipment to manufacture these panels and so I was contracted to make all of the panels for the interpretation centre and then install, together with some other elements that they had made including wall banners and custom-made bird sculptures. It was a great project to work with the appointed team in Canberra to map out the visitor experience and come up with solutions that worked well as a place of learning, with vibrant interpretation panels that helps engage and present a wonderful selection of history and information about Norfolk Island’s unique geography, geology and flora and fauna.
DIFFICULTIES AND CHALLENGES
Working remotely on a physical project like this can be a challenge and this was pre-covid and zoom/teams era, however through positive and clear communication we made sure that all of the goals were achieved. There were manufacturing challenges and then for installation we needed to ensure building code regulations were met and assigned off and that the area was a clear and inviting space that was easy to navigate and safe for the visitor.
IMPACT AND OUTCOMES
The impact is that we helped create a beautiful space that helps to tells the story of Norfolk’s unique natural environment and some of its specific flora and fauna that the visitor can experience in the surrounding Botanic Gardens and National Park area. The work we completed stands today and the centre remains a place of learning and attracts thousands of visitors a year.