Experience UK Guide 2023 | Page 90

MATHER & CO

Interpreting architecture & heritage in engaging ways

Mather & Co are a multi-disciplinary design company , specialising across the heritage , sports , and entertainment sectors – allowing them to feed ideas from one sector into another . Since launching in 1995 , the company has completed countless successful projects including Downton Abbey : The Exhibition , Quarry Bank Mill , Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum , The Olympic Museum , Coronation Street : The Tour , The R & A World Golf Museum , Silverstone Museum , The Royal Mint Experience , Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings , and Gretna Green Experience .

Interpreting heritage and architecture is crucial in the preservation of cultural and architectural heritage for future generations . Mather & Co worked on Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings , also known as the ‘ grandparent of the skyscraper ’, which opened towards the end of 2022 . The design consultancy worked closely with leading architects , Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios , to transform Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings into a thriving community hub , comprising office space , retail , café , and exhibition . Working with architects is a core part of Mather & Co ’ s work to enhance the overall visitor experience around a site or buildings – allowing Mather &
Co to develop a powerful and engaging narrative , connecting with those who visit them .
Developing a compelling narrative To create an engaging architecture and heritage experience , it is important to develop a compelling narrative connecting people with the historical significance and cultural value of a place or building . There are various methods with which we can create these connections through personal accounts , modern technologies , and interactivity .
Through the curation and presentation of personal stories , experiences and artefacts belonging to those who lived or worked in that place , we can provide visitors with threads of relatability , familiarity , and even ancestral connections in some cases . Mather & Co developed an impactful free-flow narrative in ‘ The Mill ’ exhibition at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings , the exhibition showcases the captivating history of the mill , the workers , and the architectural significance of the building itself . The exhibition is exploratory , split into five general themes , with ‘ People and Process ’ highlighting the men , women , and children at the mill who suffered the relentless , uncomfortable working conditions of this early industrial factory .
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