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fabrication and installation for mount bruce visitors centre

fun educational interactive's

Jared Forbes of Lumen Digital studios invited us to be involved in the development of a range of interfaces and interactive's for the redevelopment of Pukaha – Mount Bruce Visitors Centre in the Wairarapa region. Pukaha Mount Bruce is New Zealand's National Wildlife Centre for conservation of some of our most endangered wildlife.

We worked closely with Lumen in the development and fabrication of a number of displays and interfaces including a stylized giant ‘Rata’ tree purpose built to entertain young children giving their caregivers the space to absorb the informative exhibition. The ‘Rata’ is hollow and stuffed full of educational goodness for the kids to enjoy while they play.

Tony had just returned from a trip to Hong Kong, where he and his daughter had been on the 2008 Art Walk, one of the exhibits on the walk, involved the use of torches and a dark So Ho lane. Along the lane, on walls, steps, doors, etc, displayed in the dark were artworks. Artworks placed there with the intention of being discoverable, with torches by the viewer. Excited by this concept, we evolved this idea to work with the giant model rata tree in the main gallery. Fifteen species of native New Zealand fauna were sculpted, molded, cast and fitted with light sensors. The creatures were ‘hidden’ in the tree to be discovered with LED torches. When the light triggers the sensor, a brief AV about the discovered creature plays on one of the three screens.

Izzat also constructed four tall kiosks set around the main gallery. These house networked computers and touch screens, which through visitor interaction tell the story of the New Zealand native birds, Kokako, Takahe, Kiwi and Kaka.

The main gallery also features an interactive terra formed map of Pukaha Mount Bruce by Izzat Design. This tabletop interactive gives the visitor information about the different birds and features of the Pukaha Mount Bruce centre as they move their hands over its surface. This interaction happens via a very sophisticated digital interface designed and implemented by the talented Lumen crew.

Nestled amongst an array of lighting, sound and video animation in the main gallery’s annex is ‘The story of the Huia’. This display utilizes the ‘Peppers Ghost’ illusion technique and some very cool digital content devised once again by the people at Lumen Digital. Our part in this consisted of the display housing, a touch of realistic terra forming and for the finale (a specialty of ours) a beautifully modeled crypto taxidermy Huia skeleton.