We've updated our website content to better reflect our
experience, expertise and target markets. After some intensive market analysis,
and a bit of soul searching, it became apparent that our services are best matched
to the needs of corporate and select government and nonprofit clients. We're
excited by the many opportunities we envision ahead and look forward to
collaborating with our client's to meet their mission critical communication
and marketing objectives. Take a look around our updated site. We welcome your
feedback.
June
6, 2010
The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, located east of
Houston Texas along Galveston Bay, has selected Capitol Exhibit Services, Inc. to
plan, design, fabricate and install an interpretive exhibit program for their
new visitor contact station scheduled for completion in late 2010. Ferretti
Designs is providing exhibit planning and design services to the project. The
exhibits will focus on interpretation of natural resources, refuge management
and public use opportunities at The Anahuac NWR. The project team will be
developing exhibits to engage and educate visitors of all ages. The team is
also planning for the utilization of fabrication materials and processes that
are environmentally conscious. Being adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico, the
project has added meaning to the development team in light of the current environmental
crisis unfolding off The Gulf Coast of Louisiana.
"When one
tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the
world." -- John Muir
April 10, 2010
I'm finally going green. At this year's Virginia Association of Museum's annual conference, I attended a session highlighting student projects in green practice. Briefly, the session explained the basics of introducing green projects or practices in museums. Under the guidance of the course leader
Sarah Brophy, three George Washington University Museum Studies students presented their research and findings on projects they had initiated with select museums in the Washington DC area. Their work and results were impressive and encouraged me to begin thinking green for my "institution" - Ferretti Designs. I
will continue to post my progress, share tips and share resources as I becoming a
much greener company.
PHASE 1 - Read the following books:
The Green Museum: A Primer on Environmental Practice by Sarah Brophy & Elizabeth Wylie
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough & Michael Braungart
February 15, 2010
Ferretti Designs
is pleased to announce the opening of the ARCA (Association for Research into
Crimes against Art) exhibition on Art Crimes at the National Crime & Punishment
Museum in Washington DC. This is a photo of the installation dream team (left to right) Julia
Brennan with Caring For Textiles, Colette
Marvin with ARCA, Steve Ferretti and Allen Olson-Urtecho. The exhibition runs from February 12 to
April 26, 2010. ARCA studies issues in art crime and cultural property protection, runs
educational programs, and consults on art protection and recovery issues
brought to them by police, governments, museums, places of worship, and other
public institutions.
February 12, 2010
Steve Ferretti has been invited by The History Factory to assist in the development of an exhibit master plan for a large southern utility company. The plan is expected to be completed by May 2010. The History Factory is a heritage management firm that helps today's leading global corporations, organizations and institutions discover, preserve and leverage their unique history to meet today's business challenges.
February 2, 2010
The 2010
Virginia Association of Museum's annual conference will be held on March 13th
through 16th in Richmond, Virginia. Museums Driving Change is the theme of this
year's conference. Steve Ferretti will be attending the full conference. Look
for the guy that has a slight resemblance, some say, to Anthony Bourdain. Looking
forward to seeing you in Richmond. Reservations are needed!
VIEWS
Client Participation
When
working with a design consultant, recognize that you as the client
should
expect to be as engaged in the development process as often as is
possible.
You're the subject matter expert and you have to live with the end product.
Make sure
you have the time and the resources available to fully engage in each phase of development.
At the beginning of a project have the consultant prepare a detailed
schedule
identifying all tasks, time frames and critical milestones that require
your
full participation. This schedule should be a living document that is
updated
regularly to reflect additions or changes to the project. If your review
team
is comprised of many reviewers, please select one member of your team to
be the
primary contact for the design consultant.This
contact person should coordinate reviewer schedules
against the project master schedule and compile all comments into one
concise
report to the design contractor. Make sure every member of the project
team understands
the expectation that focused participation is critical and deadlines
need to be
met if the project is to be successfully completed to your and your end
users satisfaction.
Typography
The beauty is in the details. Be sure you pay close attention to how you use typography in all your signage, exhibit and print projects. If you have graphic standards, follow them, If not and if you just don't know typography, get some help from a professional designer in choosing a typeface or typefaces that best support the materials you are producing. Well chosen typography is a powerful tool in your visual toolbox that can convey so much about the personality and quality of your organization.
Design Concepts and RFPs
From time to time I receive an RFP (Request for Proposal)
specifying that design concept visual(s) be submitted as part of a complete and
responsive proposal. The submitting firm is expected to cover the cost for
developing the concept visuals. In-depth research including meetings with
stakeholders and subject matter experts drive the development of a meaningful
design solution. Research and design are time consuming and expensive tasks. Without
a sound interpretive foundation to inform a design concept, the concept is
nothing but eye candy. A review of past project work, process, cost and in-person
interviews should be sufficient indicators of the best choice for a new project.
If design concepts need to be a part of the submission build a short list of prequalified
firms and consider providing each with a stipend to cover part of their
preliminary research and design time.
