Construction Futures Centre (CTF) commissioned Barrett Exhibition Group to design and build the “How Houses are Built” interactive educational learning display. The house teaches students ins a fun way about the tradesmen that build homes. Thus encouraging students to choose a construction career path.
Entering the house, students collect an iPad that they use to scan hexagon informative signs. On scanning the signs, these link to a video, further providing information on the trade. The iPad and video were developed by the Gibson Group. Barrett Exhibition Group designed and built the rest of the house. This includes all interactive models and signage.
The educational trades signs are made of clear acrylic, with colourful vinyl cut letters or prints. Each trade sign is colour coded. These were placed inside and outside of the house, including areas such as the roof, kitchen, bedroom and laundry. Often these signs show a cut away to a section of wall or ceiling, to reveal items usually hidden. Such as the timber or metal frame, ducting or the smart wiring. Set in the floor or wall, some of acrylic signs reveal running LED lights. For example plumbing will have blue lights flashing, to indicate water in pipes and electricity is shown with yellow lights.
Students can open doors to cupboards and switchboards, as well and switch buttons on and off to bring the display to life. Even the stove plates and oven with a turkey can be turned on. We used lights to create the illusion of heat of course! One can even look down into the ceiling to see insulation.
Click here to view a video of the house
This project was built at the same time as another educational display we did: “How Bridges & Roads are built”.
View the project here: How Bridges & Roads are built
