Designing Peace at the Cooper Hewitt showcases a wide range of design that look at ways to create and sustain a more durable peace. The design of the exhibition itself participates in the experience of the space without taking the focus away from the content, establishing a framework for the artifacts on view, and adding a meaningful layer to the visitor experience. The exhibition design communicates the idea that peace is not something passive, but requires engagement and connection between people.
As one moves through the gallery, the central figure organizes the exhibition by channeling movement and orchestrating views between galleries. The prow-like shape is at once a wall, display armature, and place for seating. Playing with changing perceptions, it divides the galleries, then brings them back together, appearing as a tall thin wall, then a low thick volume.
