HEARTLANDS, CORNWALL

CLIENT : STEPHEN FEBER LTD

We joined the Heartlands project in 2008 as subcontractors to Stephen Feber Ltd (SFL) to develop, design, detail and deliver Stephen's exhibition concept for a heritage attraction at Heartlands, Cornwall.

Heartlands is a £35million regeneration project at the former mining site of South Crofty, Pool. The exhibition, housed within the part-restored mine buildings, was shaped to work as a gateway to the West Devon and Cornwall Tin Mining World Heritage Site (WHS). Intending to complement other WHS attractions already showcasing many aspects of the hard rock mining story, Heartlands provides an overview for tourist visitors, while ensuring there is plenty for local families to do again and again. So to sit alongside a dramatic, 270-degree film presentation (by SFL with Centre Screen) we developed atmospheric settings for soundscapes exploring social history themes, hands-on geology exhibits, an activity table (featuring board games, a quiz and brass rubbing) and even a role play with a twist, combining dressing up, mirrors and a soundtrack on silent-disco style headsets.

Outside Studios also developed the signage for the whole Heartlands site, interpreting retained features of the working mine as well as the stories represented in the fabulous new gardens and play areas. We used galvanised steel to reference the architectural materials, and let it show through on the graphics for a suitably rugged-looking finish.