English Heritage seeks interpretation designers for Bolsover Castle
English Heritage has put out a tender for exhibition and interpretation design at 17th century Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire, which is to host a new visitor experience.
Source: Where Paths Meet
Expressions of interest are being sought from designers for a new presentation and interpretation of the castle interiors and gardens.
This will include both graphic and audiovisual elements – specified as talking head installations, video, projections, soundscapes, and smell diffusers.
Source: Sue Hasker
The new attraction will include models and interactive displays, and reproduction dressing of historic spaces, including painted and fabric wall hangings, reproduction costumes and furnishings.
Owing to the design history of the castle and the stories of the families and personalities who occupied it, coupled with other ‘interleaved layers of historical significance and human interest,’ successful applicants will need to understand that, ‘These stories can be challenging to our visitors, so a representation project is highly desirable’ says English Heritage.
Source: By Sue Hasker
Any intervention into the fabric of the building needs to be fully reversible and any interpretation and presentation scheme must be carried out ‘with the greatest of academic rigour,’ says English Heritage.
A budget of £265,000-310,000 has been allocated for the attraction, which is expected to open for Easter 2014, by which time other building and conservation works will have been carried out.
Source: Sue Hasker
Pre qualification questionnaires must be returned by 29 April. For more information head to http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:104014-2013:TEXT:EN:HTML
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You will note from the very specific output requirements of the job, that English Heritage are NOT looking for INTERPRETATION designers…”The new attraction will include models and interactive displays, and reproduction dressing of historic spaces, including painted and fabric wall hangings, reproduction costumes and furnishings”….This already seems to be done – What they ARE looking for are exhibition contractors that will finish off what has been already “interpreted”.