Tinkertown: Imagine, Design, Create

The project followed a rigorous, collaborative design process led by an interdisciplinary team including Visual and Spatial Design Managers, an Experience Developer, a Curator with expertise in engineering, and a Project Manager.

Through a series of creative sprints, the team established the exhibition’s narrative framework, aesthetic direction, visitor journey, and learning objectives. Designer Beci Orpin was commissioned to create the visual identity and communication system. Spatial designer Peter Wilson shaped the physical layout and architectural forms. Together with social enterprise ‘From the Ground Up,’ the team co-developed custom modular components that function as furniture and play tools.

Prototyping, audience testing and iterative workshops ensured alignment with the brief and user needs. Execution involved specialist contractors across 3D printing, joinery, metal work and graphics production. Graphic elements were integrated directly into interactives, surfaces, and structural forms, reinforcing spatial coherence and supporting intuitive navigation.

The final design exceeds the brief—offering a vibrant, safe, and inclusive environment that supports both structured and open-ended engagement. Visual storytelling, engineering diagrams and State Collection textures enrich the thematic depth. Clear zoning, recurring visual motifs, and high visibility across the space support wayfinding, accessibility and safety. Each zone is distinct yet cohesive, tailored to different energy levels and learning styles.

The result is a highly resolved exhibition that delivers on both communication and experiential goals, while celebrating the power of design to invite joyful, imaginative, and collaborative exploration.

Tinkertown is a dynamic village-like environment where mechanical forms, natural textures, and playful characters create an atmosphere of curiosity and joy. Every element is designed to be open-ended and interactive—sparking imagination, movement, and deep engagement.

User Experience
This screen-free space invites a full spectrum of physical activity, from quiet contemplation to active, whole-body play. Designed with universal access in mind, visitors engage in hands-on problem-solving at their own pace—guided by layered prompts including diagrams, visual cues, and minimal text to support intergenerational interaction.

Activities are adaptable to different learning styles and abilities, fostering a sense of ownership and agency. Visitors may follow prompts, collaborate, or invent their own challenges. The open-ended format supports repeat visits, with each experience offering something new. A core design principle was to create a safe, failure-friendly environment that encourages iteration and persistence. This fosters deeper STEM learning while creating a satisfying experience for visitors of all ages and abilities.

A Benchmark for Good Design
Tinkertown exemplifies functional, aesthetic and sustainable design. All materials were selected for durability and minimal waste. Scenic, interpretive, and spatial elements are deeply integrated—nothing is superfluous. High visibility and intuitive layout ensure visitor safety and ease of navigation.

The project modelled best-practice collaboration—through creative sprints, co-design workshops, prototyping, and audience testing—resulting in a highly resolved, purpose-built experience.

By delivering a robust, joyful, and educational exhibition, Tinkertown sets a new benchmark for participatory exhibition design in Victoria, and demonstrates the tangible public value of investing in professional design.

Tinkertown reimagines what a tour-ready, interactive STEM exhibition can be. Its modular, scalable design allows both graphic and structural components to be disassembled, flat-packed, and reconfigured to suit a range of future venues. This approach not only extends the exhibition’s lifespan across five years of touring but ensures safe, ergonomic handling by installers—solving the real-world challenge of mobility without compromising quality or interactivity.

Freestanding vertical interactives accessible from both sides maximise use of space and support flexible visitor flow. Bespoke structures interlock with familiar, off-the-shelf building components—enhancing imaginative play while reinforcing learning objectives. 3D printing was used to develop custom components shaped to mirror 2D graphic forms, blending physical and visual language into a cohesive whole.

The visual communication strategy applies a consistent palette of colours, textures and motifs drawn from the spatial design and engineering references in the State Collection, anchoring the experience in STEM while allowing for playful interpretation. Sprite-like illustrated characters guide visitors, set playful challenges, and embody design principles such as strength, flexibility, and balance—encouraging deeper engagement and modelling the mindset of an engineer.

Tinkertown’s user-centred approach balances soft, flexible and rigid materials, catering to diverse play styles—from energetic, full-bodied activity to quiet, mindful tinkering. Multimodal interpretive design—including diagrams, visuals, and brief text—accommodates varying literacy levels and learning preferences, providing multiple access points into complex STEM ideas.

An energetic, gender-neutral colour palette, intuitive layouts and layered storytelling ensure the experience is inclusive, warm, and engaging for families, school groups, and repeat visitors alike.

Tinkertown delivers a truly original, imaginative and high-impact model for participatory learning through design.

A commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and structured co-design resulted in a highly resolved, multi-layered experience—accessible, inclusive, and meaningful for visitors of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. The exhibition fosters social connection, creativity and intergenerational dialogue through open-ended STEM play, while challenging stereotypes about who can be an engineer or designer.

Spatial and visual communication design are tightly integrated to create a coherent and welcoming environment. Visitors navigate the space intuitively, supported by clear sightlines, consistent visual language, and a range of engagement modes. The display of State Collection objects is seamlessly embedded into the hands-on environment, reinforcing the theme while inviting moments of quiet contemplation and deeper inquiry.

Tinkertown was designed with touring, reusability and long-term durability in mind. Modular construction, scalable components, and flat-pack logistics minimise waste and enable components to be reused or repurposed post-tour. Materials were selected for longevity and ease of repair, and local makers and social enterprises were engaged to support low-impact, ethically-aligned production.

By demonstrating how creative, collaborative and user-centred design can drive environmental efficiency and public value, Tinkertown aligns with the principles of a circular economy.

Culturally, Tinkertown raises the bar for what a participatory, design-led learning experience can be. It reflects and amplifies Victoria’s design leadership, contributing to the state’s growing reputation as a centre for innovation in spatial, communication and experience design. Through joyful, tactile engagement, it makes a compelling case for the social and educational benefits of investing in high-quality design.