Hidden in Plain Sight
15o Years of Architectural Design and Diversity in Central Virginia
To mark local celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the American Institute of Architects, AIA Central Virginia commissioned Polymetis to curate an exhibit on the region's architecture.
The timeframe for researching and producing this ambitious show -- which profiles 150 area buildings from the past 150 years -- was extremely compressed. In a little over three months, Polymetis completed the exhibit, during which time we
- led principal and archival research on the region's architecture and compiled the findings
- interviewed scores of practitioners and academics
- provided overall creative concepts and art direction for the exhibit and identity design
- acquired rights to photos
- photographed projects in the absence of existing imagery
- built and generated content for a companion website using a blog (WordPress) template
- designed a companion pamphlet
- led media outreach
and probably a few other things as well. The exhibit profiles the built environment of the region around Charlottesville, Staunton and Harrisonburg, highlighting a richer and more diverse heritage than the looming example of Thomas Jefferson often permits.
The show opens on April 6, 2007 at the Charlottesville Community Design Center.