The colour selection for this natural history exhibition is dramatic, yet friendly and inviting for a family audience. The exhibition features a selection of eleven Resene colours, from a ‘dirty’ neutral, through spicy warm tones and swampy greens, to a mellow Resene Minx. The hearty colours link to nature: fiery orange of rock, lush green of foliage, and deep red of blood. Colour was used to clearly define the exhibition sections for visitors. A jagged line alluding to a cracked eggshell travels the perimeter of the gallery. Resene Nero silhouettes of dinosaurs are painted on the walls to give visitors a sense of awesome scale of the creatures.

Touring components were a consideration when designing additional elements for the space. Screens incorporating plywood and natural canvas were created to divide the gallery, and Matangi Gold pebbles cover the plinths beneath huge skeletons. A purpose-built shop incorporates the same colours and materials used in the exhibition space. The exhibition team created an organic, scale-like pattern on the shop desk and wall, using Resene Planter on Resene Secret Garden. Transparent vinyl applied to the Resene Acropolis (Resene Half Tea) display cabinets created a subtle, light-catching effect between rich accent colours.

Thoughtful colours, lighting and layout work together to create a space with a sense of wonder and amazement, where a discovery takes place around every corner. The judges found the use of colour understated but powerful and sophisticated, depicting the lives of dinosaurs. Using a unique nicely bright palette of colours, the palette complements the content without overwhelming it. All elements work together with the colour helping to tell the story of the exhibition.

Colour Selection and Spatial Designer: Steph Chalmers
Graphic Designer: Lana Marquand Graphic Designer: David McDonald
Installation Team: Waikato Museum Exhibitions Team

Colours Used: Resene Acropolis (Resene Half Tea), Resene Alibi, Resene Dynamite, Resene Minx, Resene Nero, Resene Orange Roughy, Resene Panzano, Resene Planter, Resene Secret Garden, Resene Stowaway.

Products Used: Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen

View more Resene Total Colour Awards entries and winners.