Introduction

There are two key elements to any exhibition - design and content. Simon Basketter and Richard Crowest have always believed that the best results come from developing these two parts of the project together, as one complete whole.That's why they've combined their extensive experience and skills to form Corvidae.

Below are some case studies of projects designed and/or written by Corvidae.

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The Quest Exploratorium

The Exploratorium was the first interpretive project on which Corvidae's directors worked together. Produced for the fragrance company Quest International, it has pride of place in the centre of the reception at the company's headquarters in Ashford, Kent.

Of the five senses, smell is surely the one we think about least. While it can powerfully evoke emotions and memories, we can only really discuss smells by comparing them to other things. The Exploratorium uniquely involves four of the visitor's senses, asking them to associate smells with sounds, images and textures. These responses are used by Quest to help them create new fragrances and blends of ingredients.

Going further, the Exploratorium interprets the way that perfumers classify fragrance ingredients into fourteen families, and explains the system of visual notation called Lignes de Force which Quest uses to describe fine fragrances.

The Exploratorium consists of three touch screens and six 'feely boxes' housed in a stunning, abstract, sculptural console designed by Corvidae's Creative Director, Simon Basketter. The fragrance samples are contained in custom-designed 'scent sticks' - clear acrylic rods which slot into illuminated sockets in the Exploratorium. The touch-screen interactives, jointly devised by Simon and Production Director Richard Crowest, ask visitors to sniff a scent stick indicated by an arrow on the screen, then to choose in which of the fourteen families they think it belongs. If they guess incorrectly, the monitor indicates the tube containing a member of the family they chose, so that they can experience the difference.

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Ecopark

Ecopark is a sustainable housing development, opened by Gallions Housing Association in south-east London in 2001. Corvidae created the copy for a visitor centre that explains the need for sustainable housing, highlights the techniques and design features used in the development, and aims to help other social housing providers follow in Gallions' footsteps.

You can experience the Ecopark visitor centre on-line with our interactive virtual tour, which gives access to much of the exhibition copy.

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