The Geffrye Museum

My first time at the Geffryes.I'm late and I hate unpunctuality. im handed a print out and told to look at...


How can the space and contents of the museum be used to....
Incubate


Now before I dive in, I have to ask my self is Miss J 'n' J having a collective chortle at me by giving me this process to focus on. Do they not believe my tale of zoning out and emptying my poor head of all the exterior nonsense that is usually buzzing around me before I embark on a project of any magnitude...
I didn't puzzle over that one for too long as I was egare to see what was happening at the Geffryes. Like I said it was a first visit for me...and I do like a museum.


So this is my initial thoughts on incubating in the Geffryes.

• Around the museum there are already few areas developed for incubation, and quiet reflection. The 1870s chair is a perfect spot for quite contemplation. Each period should have one. That would help you to immerse yourself in that specific time period.
• As you walk through, find a theme you wish to focus on. lighting for instance. There are examples in each time zone.
• You can ask yourself a series of questions that would help you with your incubating.
• Devise a check list to then apply to any design you embark on. Therefore bringing structure to this incubation period, it might move it along more rapidly and precisely. Eg. What is the purpose? (why am i here). What am I looking for? What do I like? Who am I making this for? 
• You could listen to music of each time period on headphones whilst walking through. Helpful to block out the noise from other viewers helping you to focus.
• Exploring the outside area. Being outside looking in can change your outlook or vice versa.
• Sit in the giant tea cups...probably not allowed, but sometimes having fun with something can spark ideas.
• Doing the opposite of what's expected of you.

Brainstorming/Breaking down the brief

• Investigate - look at what is on offer at the museum, separate it into sections. ie how many time periods are there to explore
• What is the aim of the museum?
• What is their target audience?
• What is the key aspect you wish to expand on?

Experiment

• Hone in a particular theme and create questions to carry theme/interest throughout your exploration of the museum.  Eg, specific types of drawings, paintings, how women are featured, floral, animals.
• Seeing if you can find these elements or expressions. How many different ways have they occurred.
• Specific decoration techniques. Wall treatments like types of wallpaper patterns, or silhouette portraits.
• What process did they use can you describe the process, how would it be done today? Can you reproduce them?
• Can you create a new style/object of your own by combining styles from different periods shown in museum?
• The museum focuses on the middle classes, if you were to create/define a new “CLASS" based on todays society, what would it be called and how would it be furnished.

 Other

• Is there a library facility that can be utilised?
• Change your focus, do not restrict it just on the physical nature of home but reflect on the changes of what the idea of the home signifies in each period and how has its inhabitants changed with it?
• How has the aspirations of the inhabitants perceived to have changed, and why? What are the Influences?
• How is this shown by the pieces of furniture or decoration being brought into each home?
• Pieces brought into the home for decoration or necessity has changed with globalisation is this shown. 
• It shows a capsulated world, but can you see what was going on in the rest of the world at that given time.
• Showing how the middling classes have become less insular?