The Exhibit. F**ked over by microscopic villain.

From the very beginning of the project, it was always sought that the exhibit was the end goal. Early on I voiced my interest to take a lead in the event planning and overall care of delivering the exhibit.

As early as January I made a start on drawing up some plans for the exhibit, as I felt it important to set ourselves a deadline to keep to throughout the placement.

In my head I envisioned a very Tim Burton affair, I wanted the kids to walk into the exhibit and feel like they had almost entered another planet. Picture furry florescent walls, lava floor and the milky way galaxy ceiling.

However before we could harvest the lava for the floor we had to find a venue. We approached a couple locations to get a tour of possibilities. As the exhibit was going to be open to the general public we wanted to secure a good location, but ultimately it was thought the best port of call was keeping things close and accessible for the school.

We arranged a viewing at Edinburgh Napier’s Craiglochart campus as this is a 10minute walk from Oxgangs. When meeting with the events staff who showed us round the campus, they were able to give us advice on how to cater for the numbers we had planned.

After debating the best action, we finally agreed to host the exhibit at Napier’s Merchistons campus alongside their annual degree show as this would secure higher footfall.

No matter how much planning you do, you can never underestimate the power of the surreal.

Well, the power of getting fucked over by microscopic villain.

It was a massive blow to have to cancel what was going to be the best exhibit humankind has ever seen. But this moment probably taught me and the team the most valuable design lesson, the ability to adapt, rethink and to kill your (design) baby.

With the world upside down we had to break up the team and head home, and start from fresh.

Over the summer months it was clear postponing the physical exhibit to later in the year wasn’t going to be possible. We started to research what could be possible but strongly agreed that the kids we have come to love, deserved to have their moment. They had shared some amazing stories and ideas with us and we wanted to capture this in some way to share.

We came across some amazing software that would allow us to host the exhibit virtually but while also keeping that feel of freely walking through it.

The mammoth task began of trying to turn 120 kids work digital, while also trying to salvage the work done by the magnificent makers as many of the inventions they had built were lost in the madness of the university closure.

With all the challenges we faced, working as a team was the only way to over come it.

I think regardless of your experiences in life, everyone has put “team work” as a skill on their CV no matter if they have evidence.

Well I think us Wee inventors have added a new meaning to the phrase team work.

Wee learned;

to think

to breath

to panic

to support

As a team.

Jordan

Wee inventor