June 2008

CMD Director / Architect
Getting on in years with lots of experience in urban planning and architecture. Has worked across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Founded CMD in 1994 with Bryon Cunningham.   

Object of Desire
This mid nineteenth century wrought iron and leather rocking chair has been with me for more than 30 years and has become the adored fourth child of the family. Yes, it probably should have left home by now but it’s very handsome and does a great high speed rock. An early exercise in industrial minimalism, the chair was produced by R.W Winfield & Co in Birmingham and is thought to have been designed by Peter Cooper 1791-1883. 

Opened / 2007
Floor Area / 400 m²
Awards / Interior Design Awards, Public/Institutional Interior Design – Shortlisted

Commissioned by the Sisters of St Joseph, the Mary MacKillop Museum reflects on the legacy of Mary MacKillop and promotes her life and spiritual values to the public and visiting religious conference groups. Serene and contemplative by nature, the exhibition includes a moving multimedia piece and a number of important religious relics.

Photography by Dianna Snape
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CMD Director / Industrial Designer
Following four years with CMD, Paul spent the next 5 years working on the design and production of live events in Europe and the United States. He returned to CMD 4 years ago and has since been busy delivering the first and second phases of the National Sports Museum.

Object of Desire
Like all bikes, it’s a piece of design and engineering genius.  It’s efficient, ingeniously self-propelled and highly beneficial to the user. This particular model is also the highest possible specification before committing to lycra or waxing. Why an object of desire? Because I should be spending more time on it and less time writing about it!

Creative Director / Industrial Designer
Bryon began his career in industrial design. He graduated through interior and retail design to become a committed interpretive exhibition designer. 25 years in the design of exhibitions continues to yield new challenges and new ways to interpret the richness of life’s events and their influence on the future.

Object of Desire
This ashtray has varied appeal. It sprung from the late 50’s early 60’s where such racial representations were happily accepted along with the much loved golliwog. Its design kitsch adds novelty to the art of smoking as well as acting as a marker to the change in social mores between the mid sixties and the present day.  For me it marks a warm place in my past. I wish I was smoking still.

Office Manager
Legal Secretary, Manager of Home Affairs, School Secretary, Inbound Reservations Consultant with Tourist Coach operator, Assistant Manager Coach Operations & now Office Manager at CMD (never a dull moment!) 

Object of desire
Travel documents of any kind to go somewhere/anywhere to experience other cultures, other people, other customs, other challenges and adventures and especially experiencing our own magnificent “Outback”.

Interior Designer
Believes in serendipity – though only the prepared can act on those chance discoveries. Has worked in retail design before finding the joys of exhibition design.

Object of Desire
Crude, somewhat deformed and rescued from a dusty workshop floor, the whirligig man conjures up memories of my childhood and the ingenuity of my grandfather.  Using the parabola from a simple piece of string, once begun the whirligig man pedals up and down on his tightrope by his own accord.  Cobbled together from bits and pieces scrounged from my grandfather’s workshop – a pulley, the handle of a tool for a counterbalance, a leftover block of wood – for me it is folk art at its best.  It is its imperfections – what is so wrong with it – that adds to my delight. 

/ Check out a project review of the Melbourne Cricket Club Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground written by Marcus Baumgart for Artichoke 18.
/ Check out an interview and company profile written by Marcus Baumgart for Artichoke 21.

Exhibition Designer
Has worked as an exhibition designer for 8 years in both commercial and cultural environments. Enjoys the fascinating stories and remarkable objects she encounters through her work.

Object of Desire
There is just something about Rothko’s work that makes me feel the world is a good place after all. I think it’s a combination of the colours, their luminosity, the gorgeous fuzzy edges and the confident execution. I have only met a handful of his works and had the pleasure of staring at them for hours, I hope to meet many more. 

Now, if only I could find a spare $73 million!

Cunningham Martyn Design
18 Willis Street, Richmond
Victoria Australia 3121
Telephone +61 3 9428 2777

office@cmdesign.com.au

The CMD team is skilled in the process of interpretive design. We provide a well-considered process of creative development and have great experience in communicating complex issues and concepts via the exhibition medium.

Our collective skills in interpretive design are complemented by expertise in space planning, thematic design, documentation and project management. Our experience in retail design brings increased value to commercial operations through our understanding of product branding, merchandising, marketing and promotion.

We are familiar with museum collection management procedures, curatorial programs, conservation standards and public programming policies and appreciate the unique qualities of each commission.

Our success is underpinned by:
/ 30 years experience in designing and delivering exhibitions
/ An extensive record of complex and large scale projects
/ Core design skills that are focused on interpretive technologies
/ Understanding of museological principles and requirements
/ Primary concern for the visitor experience
/ Intelligent design that is content led and emotively driven
/ Clever and innovative development of displays and interactives
/ Sound technical performance and display durability
/ Efficient infrastructure and management systems
/ Successful collaboration with other consultants and disciplines
/ Skilled project management and contract administration
/ Strong recognition of client investment and contribution
/ Practical regard for operational imperatives

Cunningham Martyn Design delivers innovative high quality exhibitions. Our projects include permanent museums, visitor interpretive centres, outdoor environments, trade exhibitions, travelling displays and a wide variety of retail and commercial installations.

Our work includes:
/ Master Planning
/ Concept Development
/ Design and Documentation
/ Project Planning and Management
/ Strategic Planning and Feasibility

Our team includes:
/ Architects
/ Industrial Designers
/ Graphic Designers
/ Interior Designers
/ Project Managers

Our team are active members of relevant professional associations including Australian Institute of Architects, Design Institute of Australia and Museums Australia.

Opened / November 2006
Floor Area / 400m²
Reviewed / Artichoke magazine issue 18 

The MCC Museum tells the story of the Melbourne Cricket Club and its close links to the history of Melbourne. Designed as a comfortable lounge room for MCC members, the museum displays the Club’s private collection that includes cricket-related memorabilia, extensive papers and records, an outstanding array of fine art and the Baer Collection of fine porcelain dating back to the eighteenth century.

Photography by John Gollings
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Architect
8 years of experience encompassing small and large, residential and commercial, budget and high-end, Sydney and Melbourne.

Object of Desire
Peter Zumthor’s architecture is elegant, refined, powerful and gracefully considered. These qualities were extended to the publication of his monograph, designed by the architect to his exacting standards and beautifully photographed by Hélène Binet. The book represents for me everything I love about architecture, photography and design. Constantly on loan from the architecture library, it became a supplementary resource in my studies. Currently out of print and sold out, it has also become a treasured possession for those who own a copy.
I am still trying to find a used one that is less than $2000.

Graphic Designer / Exhibition Designer
Worked in the UK for 4 years as a graphic designer on branding, publication, event and exhibition projects before heading home to Melbourne to join the team at Cunningham Martyn Design. Has had the pleasure of working on the delivery of the Conflicts 1945 to Today galleries at the Australian War Memorial, and the Mary MacKillop Museum. 

Object of Desire
How could anyone fail to be seduced by this fantastic poster created by French artist Bernard Villemot for Bally. Its bold lines, courageous colour, abstracted organic forms and striking composition are totally HOT. Like all things French it is effortlessly elegant and demonstrates the potent mix of art and advertising. I think it would look great in my living room!

Opened / December 2005
Floor Area / 450m²

The Marine Life Exhibition explores the marine diversity of Australia’s southern oceans with a particular emphasis on the Victorian coastline. Displays range from sponge gardens, reef and kelp, the giant squid and sperm whales, to feeding and hunting and the food web. The exhibition is a holistic immersive environment in which light and colour reduce as the visitor ventures into deeper waters. Complex graphics and multimedia are fully integrated into the experience and specialty interactives engage and educate visitors of all ages.

Photography by Dianna Snape
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