While our focus has always been on designing mesmerising visitor experiences through cutting-edge exhibit design, the golden thread that guides our work is sustainability. When looking at different design concepts and ideas, the fundamental consideration comes down to how we can create messaging and stories that inspire visitors to develop an interest in topics such as environmental management, climate change, ecosystem restoration and renewable energy. Going a step further, we often ask ourselves how we can inspire a generation to pursue a career in sustainable development.
Driven by this purpose to create exhibits that connect citizens with sustainable development, each phase of a project, from ideation to the final build, always integrates key sustainability considerations. Let’s take a look at some areas where we envision our work having a material impact:
The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the subsequent Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) guide our global efforts to achieve a more sustainable future. The goals look at integrating social, environmental and economic elements that guide how we develop our economies and society while protecting natural resources and the environment.
Cumulatively under all the SDGs, there are 169 targets set out. For example, under SDG 12 ‘Responsible Production and Consumption’, Target 12.3, known as the ‘Food Waste Index’ aims to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses by 2020.
For us to achieve ambitious targets like the Food Waste Index by 2030, a multi-stakeholder collaborative effort is required, including industry, government and citizens. Through our work, we aim to design exhibits and visitor experiences that demonstrate the connection between our individual actions, and the world around us. By creating this story, we aim to inspire visitors to make better choices that serve a more sustainable future; one that is described by the UN 2030 agenda and SDGs.
For citizens to make better choices that support a sustainable future, a fundamental catalyst for this is empowering them with the knowledge to do so. While people may understand the basics of climate change, for many years, climate science was reserved for the scientists, technologists and engineers working on solutions to address global warming. Given the trajectory and nature of climate change impact, it is not shaping the way in which we live our lives.
Interactive and immersive exhibits can make climate science accessible by scaling down a global issue into a room-sized visitor experience. When visitors engage with the stories and content of the exhibit, the goal is to improve their climate literacy. Being able to conceptualise and articulate how our actions translate into a carbon footprint, empowers us to make more informed choices.
Through experiences that these types of exhibits can offer us, we start to see that our carbon footprints are not only created by the car we drive, or how often we fly, it also comes down to our food choices, our waste generation, and even the clothes that we wear. When creating a climate-focused exhibit, telling a story that creates a holistic picture is important. While speaking about our actions that create a carbon footprint is important, equally as important is providing solutions that offset our carbon footprint.
To achieve the targets set out in the SDGs climate literacy will play a crucial role. The world also needs more young people pursuing careers in climate science, environmental management, conservation and ecology. Through creating memorable experiences that resonate with a wide demographic, including young people, we aim to encourage this trend.
