Activate characters from the past to interpret an historical narrative
Overview
The Company of Merchant Taylors were once the regulator and trade body of tailoring and its related industries within medieval York, England. The Merchant Taylors’ Hall, a 600 year old building, comprises of the magnificent Great Hall, Almshouse, gardens, and grounds. The Company of Merchant Taylors is one of seven guilds in York whose origin dates to the 13th Century, and one of only three that have existed without a break since medieval times. Until the 1830s the Merchant Taylors’ Company, which included a few women among its members, was essentially a working body of master tailors, drapers, hosiers, and York freemen. Only by leasing their Hall for a variety of purposes, mostly educational, theatrical, or convivial, did they succeed—where most other once celebrated medieval English guilds eventually failed—in preserving their buildings into the early nineteenth century. The Merchant Taylors operate today as a charity organization and the Hall still serves as public meeting place, historical site, education, and event venue.
Brief
Work in teams. Using the historical research provided by the team at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall develop an authentic character/persona to interpret the story of the Hall and its function. Design an experience that communicates this character to your defined audience—for instance a costumed actor, projected hologram, or animated figure—one that can be incorporated into the Great Hall or the building’s grounds. Summarize the working process and research, study the feasibility (budget), and produce a working mock-up or prototype to demonstrate proof of concept.
Process
Phase 1: Research and Design Analysis (Absorb)
Phase 2: Concept and Design Proposal (Ideate)
Phase 3: Detailed Design Solutions (Develop)
Phase 4: Design Documentation and Intent (Present)
Course: Design in Europe program, 2023
Community Collaborator: Merchant Taylors Hall, York, U.K.
Sample Projects:
