THE HINXTON HALL PROJECT

CLIENT : THE WELLCOME TRUST

Scientists of a certain age will remember the excitement of the Human Genome project in the 1990s - would the open access model win out over private enterprise? The UK’s part in the global effort was based initially in the (pretty much unsuitable) Hinxton Hall, while purpose built labs were constructed. That time is fondly remembered on site and now that Hinxton Hall forms a centrepiece of the conference facility on Wellcome’s giant science campus, the historical stories needed marking appropriately.

The Human Genome era is more fully commemorated through our ghost building project which has its own page. This scheme needed to touch on multiple phases of the site’s history, including an unflinching look at the sources of the family fortune which built the hall. We installed a series of intriguing and beautiful talking points - thinking of conversation-starters at conference evenings - one for each phase of history. A gorgeous carved walnut trout greets arriving visitors. Replica saxon loom weights, gilded plaster roses and even a bicycle frame are presented as art, with fact snippets steering the interested towards nearby touchscreens for more detail. Giant wallpapers frame archive material creating a stunning timeline in a narrow corridor, where two alcoves were also highlighted in a strong, contrasting colour to present the evidence for financial links to enslaved people.