Smeaton's Gallery, Plymouth

Why effective Project Management is so important

 

The Brief

To create, on behalf of Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, an exhibition to complement the newly refurbished Smeaton's Tower. The presentation was to be based on two key themes; how Smeaton built his innovative lighthouse; and the story of all of the lighthouses of the Eddystone Rocks. The difficult bit? From proposal acceptance there were thirteen working weeks before opening and, with detailed plans to be created and approved; local contractors to be found and assessed; and internal walls to be destroyed, this was going to be tight! The only way to deal with the challenge was through meticulous time and resource planning and strict Project Management.

 

 

The Plan

The space fell naturally into two halves; the 'Story of the Eddystone Lighthouses' was to be a quiet, informative area using graphic panels and a display case. The 'Smeaton's Gallery' exhibition needed a strong interactive element using both high and low-tech interactives. Key features would be a full-scale replica of one floor of Smeaton's Tower and puzzles demonstrating the interlocking masonry used to build the lighthouse. Both rooms would need to be rebuilt internally with new flooring, walls, lighting and ceiling replacement and repair. The first stage was to put together the detailed design. This was done in complete consultation with the Museum's representatives. As soon as an item was agreed, a 'Work Package Description' was drawn up that clearly laid out the exact detail of how it was to be created, how it would look and function, and the criteria against which it was to be accepted. This detailed planning process obviously takes time, while the temptation is to get started on the 'real' work, but time taken on planning is absolutely vital on a short timescale project; working to detailed plans ensures that all effort and activity is spent efficiently and effectively. It also ensures that the customer and the designer are agreed on exactly what the end product will be, always essential but absolutely critical when there is no time to adjust half way through.

 

 

A statement by Nicola Moyle, MA, Curator of Museums and Heritage, Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery "We knew from the start that the Museum had imposed an extremely difficult deadline on ATS Heritage. Their proposal was extremely innovative and, as we started to understand their highly structured Project Management methods, we quickly gained confidence in their ability to complete the project in time and to the required high standard. We were particularly pleased with the amount of influence that we were given in the design process. The end result, achieved through the dedication and hard work of my own staff and the team at ATS Heritage, was excellent, and extremely popular with visitors."