Anecdotes from the Peak
Spatial Strategy & Design / Spatial Strategy & Design
Branding and Heritage Exhibition for Mount Nicholson by Wheelock Properties
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Lofty ambitions
As part of the branding and communication strategy we devised for the prestigious Mount Nicholson residential development, we persuaded our client to invest in the creation of a public exhibition about its location—the Peak.
We wanted to engage a wide audience, from the general public to heritage enthusiasts, and even academics, therefore the content and design of the exhibition had to communicate on multiple levels. To create an academically accurate portrait, while keeping it entertaining and memorable for curious visitors, we knew we had to offer an innovative perspective on this iconic Hong Kong district.
Pairing heritage with nature
Our curation concept was to pair botanical research with anecdotes of historical significance to highlight the interconnection between early residents and the natural environment. We commissioned specialist research, and sourced relevant iconography and artefacts, in order to deliver the museum-grade display Wheelock Properties was anticipating.
"Our curation concept was to pair botanical research with anecdotes of historical significance to highlight the interconnection between early residents and the natural environment."
A Multi-sensory Approach
We devised an immersive arrival experience, with animated projections and bird songs from species endemic to the Peak greeting visitors stepping in from the hustle and bustle of the city. The graphics were created from antique botanical prints collaged into lush scenery and used as the visual language for all print communication about the exhibition.
Curiouser and curiouser
We curated the content around the theme of a discovery walk through the Peak, as a way to engage with our audience. In order to entice visitors to inspect the displays in detail, we styled the exhibition like a Victorian cabinet of curiosities. Drawers, shadow boxes and bell jars allowed people to leisurely browse the artefacts, as one would trinkets in a curio shop.
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Life of a Peakite
We assembled rich iconography, paired with little known facts and anecdotes, to portray the daily lives and occupations of the “Peakites” – as these privileged residents of the Peak were known. The team commissioned an architectural model of Mountain Lodge, the former summer residence of the Governor of Hong Kong, to give visitors a sense of the lavish setting enjoyed by Peak residents. A number of historical artefacts were sourced, or replicas commissioned to illustrate daily life on the Peak. Each object was carefully styled and positioned to take its place in the overall visitor journey of the exhibition.
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The highlight of the exhibition was the story of the Dealy family who lived on the peak in the late 19th and early 20th Century. A descendant of the family, Mr. Martin Ough-Dealy, contributed valuable insight into the daily life of the Peakites, as well as photos and artefacts of historical significance. Amongst these were a silver bowl presented by Sir Robert Ho Tung to Mr Ough-Dealy’s grandfather, an invitation to a ball by Governor and Lady May, original photo albums, and an antique mahjong set.
