"From a technological point of view, this was our most ambitious project yet," says Servetto. "We knew that we wanted to integrate all the sounds, visuals and interactive technologies together, but we also wanted to do it in a way that offered a very human experience."
On entering the exhibits, each visitor is given a unique RFID card which allows them to personalise their experience, interact with the various displays, and ask questions of the museum's electronic data archive. There is no set order in which the exhibits should be viewed; on the contrary, visitors are encouraged to choose their own route, with the RFID code sensing their location every step of the way. Each room relates to a different aspect or era of Chopin's life.
"Video projection has been very helpful to us in creating a sense of scenography where the potential for reconstructing a part of Chopin's life is limited by a paucity of historical information," says the museum's curator, Alicja Knast. "Furthermore, by merging projection with proximity sensors, we effectively expand the perceived space, making many of our rooms appear larger than they really are."
The task of implementing the architectural and curatorial vision for the museum's technology fell to Polish systems integration company Microtech International, which was responsible for the design and installation of all audio, video, lighting, control and content management systems. While LCD screens are used in some rooms and for features such as interactive kiosks, in other spaces there was a need for larger images, and in these Microtech chose video projection solutions from Norway's projection design.
"The Chopin museum is an excellent example of what can be achieved when you source all aspects of an integrated system from a single company," comments Tomasz Wojciechowski, managing director of Microtech International. "For example, in the 'Nohant' room, the architects had the idea of interactive drawers which, when opened, would give the impression of pieces of sheet music 'floating' out onto a table, in synchronization with the music represented on them. This requires complete multimedia control, not just in the design stage but in the implementation and maintenance, too."
(Jim Evans)
