BS: Finally could you name some influences, other people or institutions, just one or two influences on what you do and your approach to your work.
DS: Hmmm - since I've worked here I've tried to go to lots of different centres ((noise from other room)). And I think I've - probably am influenced by them, I'm probably influenced by everything going on around me. It's funny cause - often we make suggestions at meetings, and I can - I bring something up and it's obvious that I've been influenced by something I've seen in a film - say like the Matrix you know, we're doing a bullet time exhibit. And so - I think as a designer you are influenced by absolutely everything. Darren'll make a comment and I'll go "Ah that's a bit like, um, you know the old style - handsets for this and this." It's like you can kind of see where people are getting ideas from.
I've been to places which are thought were really good like Nemo in Amsterdam I liked. I also liked La Volette in in Paris. (5.3) but I - I think I'd struggle to pick out I suppose if I spent time thinking about it I could think of examples but (5.1) Definitely since I've worked here I've taken much more interest in things. You know, if I see a - a a module like a - a help station in a place which has a touch screen, you know I'll immediately go and immediately look at how they've done the stand. And embarrass my friends by - trying to see round the back of stuff and generally get into things. (3.8) So but, I I wouldn't say that I'm only influenced by that. I think I'm influenced by furniture - that I see I think is really good, or exhibitions not just in science museums but in other museums or, I went to a couple of art galleries, there was one the weekend and I was - made a sketch of just how they were displaying some drawing, just because I thought "Oh yeah I can use that idea." Like light, if you go in a shop and it's got various lighting and you're like "Oh that's really cool." Like we've been influenced by there's a cafe over in Mermaid Quay which has like this wall which changes colour and then - I think Darren dragged Heather and I in just to see that. Just to see the lights ((laughs)). So - yeah - I'd say that my my influences are a lot broader than just science centres.
In terms of people - I'm - obviously quite influenced by Heath and Darren. Um because they've both got so many years experience in science centre industry and they I think exude the Techniquest ethos, in terms of how we design exhibits. I'm sure if I worked somewhere else I would design them differently. But - here we have this particular uh - approach - and so that's what we stick with - so that it fits in and it's all coherent. And it works. I think, you know other centres do it differently and if I was there I would try and fit in with their style and way of working.
((Interview ends))