An exhibition design concept that employs interpretive storytelling to communicate the mission of the world’s largest library focusing on the holocaust and genocide. The design not only communicates viscerally the experience of displaced persons but it also maximizes the return on investment for this, the client’s sole fundraising effort.

1. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
HAVING MOVED TO NEW PREMISES ON RUSSELL SQUARE
IN LONDON, THE WIENER LIBRARY APPROACHED ME TO
CREATE A “WALL OF HONOUR” WHICH WOULD ACT AS A
PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COMMEMORATE FRIENDS, FAMILY
AND COLLEAGUES.
THE LOCATION FOR THIS MEMORIAL IS A RECESSED ALCOVE
ON THE FIRST FLOOR LANDING OF THE CLIENT’S
GRADE II -LISTED GEORGIAN TOWN HOUSE.
DONORS SUPPORTING THE PROJECT MAY CHOOSE A
RECIPIENT TO HONOUR FOR BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES,
PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, IN MEMORIAM ETC. FOR A
SUGGESTED DONATION.

2. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
THE CLIENT’S BRIEF ALSO EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO CREATE A “VIRTUAL” WALL OF HONOUR ON THEIR
WEBSITE TO ACCOMPANY THE PHYSICAL WALL OF HONOUR.
THE FIRST CONCEPT EXPLORED WAS ONE THAT WOULD INTEGRATE BOTH THE VIRTUAL PRESENCE WITH
THE PHYSICAL PRESENCE. UNFORTUNATELY THE COST FOR THIS VERSION PROVED TO BE BEYOND
THE CLIENT’S BUDGET.
INTERACTIVE PROPOSAL

3. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
THE INITIAL PROPOSAL FOR THIS PHYSICAL MEMORIAL WAS TO SUSPEND NICKLE SILVER PLAQUES IN FRONT
OF A LARGE-FORMAT PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE CLIENT’S ARCHIVES ON TELESCOPING RODS.
THE PLAQUES BECOME PIXELS WHILE THE VARIED LENGTH OF THE RODS, CREATES A 3-DIMENSIONAL
“STEP” EFFECT.
In terms of instillation a slightly simplified alternative essentially using grub screws and fine
tolerances. While this is not as evocative as the steel cable display, this method might be more
affordable and easier to install as the only heavy duty instillation work needed is to pre drill
holes into the site wall.
Rod Installation System
PHYSICAL PROPOSAL

4. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
HOWEVER, I WANTED TO STEER MY CLIENT’S AWAY FROM FAMILIAR CONCEPTS
AND OVER-USED AND MATERIALS.
STILL NOT COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH MY CONCEPT, I BEGAN TO RESEARCH
HOW THE MOST CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED MEMORIALS INTERPRETED THE HISTORY
OF THOSE THEY HONOURED.
THE MOST INTERESTING MEMORIALS WERE NOT COMPILED OF ROWS OF
PLAQUES, RATHER THEY SEEMED TO DISTILL EXPERIENCE INTO ABSTRACTIONS.
INTERPRETIVE RESEARCH

5. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
SPENDING HOURS BROWSING THE CLIENT’S PHOTO ARCHIVE, I SEARCHED FOR THE MOST COMPELLING
IMAGES I COULD FIND.
THE IMAGES NEEDED TO HAVE A BALANCE OF NEUTRAL GROUND TO ALLOW FOR SOME NEGATIVE
SPACE IN BETWEEN THE PLAQUES BUT ALSO SOME ACTIVE FIELDS THAT WOULD LEND ITSELF WELL TO
BEING REVEALED BY THE SPACES DEVOID OF PLAQUES OR “PIXELS”
ARCHIVE RESEARCH

6. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
ATTEMPTING TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL AND THE EXPERIMENTAL,
I EXPLORED HOW MATERIALS COULD BE ABSTRACTED TO REPRESENT CERTAIN EXPERIENCES.
MATERIALS RESEARCH

7. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
THE RESULT WAS TO HANG THE PLAQUES ON A TENSIONED STEEL CABLE DISPLAY SYSTEM WHICH WOULD
ALLUDE TO THE BARBED WIRE FENCING THAT HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH CONCENTRATION CAMPS.
TENSIONED STEEL CABLES AS BARBED WIRE

8. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
IN ORDER TO MAKE ACCURATE COST PROJECTIONS, I CREATED 2-DIMENSIONAL INSTALLATION MOCK-UPS
USING A PLACE-HOLDER IMAGE AND THE MEASUREMENTS OF THE ALCOVE’S RECESS.
INSTALLATION MOCK-UP
A
B
A1
B1
CC1
A= ?, B= 31.6Cm , C=21.6Cm , C1
=22.4Cm
D
E
F
D,E,F, = H, W, D oF LintEL or uppEr Cross BEAm
GH
G = 21Cm or 22 Cm, DEptH oF rECEssED WALL to CEntrE oF LiGHt
H = 65Cm or 75Cm DistAnCE BEtWEEn LiGHts From CEntrE to CEntrE
J
K
J= 349Cm (H) K= 217.4 (W) H AnD W oF rECEssED WALL
L
m
n
L=20Cm (H) ,m= 212.4Cm (W), n= 3Cm (D) H, W, D oF FLoorBoArD
5cm total
3cm Buffer +
2cm spacing
6cm total
4cm Buffer +
2cm spacing
120mm = 15 columns, 23 rows, 345 tiles
Physical Memorial: Installation Mock Up
25 cm total
space = 2cm
buffer = 3cm
floorboard= 20cm

9. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
MATERIAL EXPLORATIONS
THE USE OF CNC MACHINE-MILLED NICKEL SILVER FOR THE PLAQUES WAS
PROVING BOTH COSTLY AND HEAVY IN WEIGHT WHICH WOULD, IN TURN,
INCREASE THE THICKNESS AND COST OF THE STEEL CABLE SYSTEM USED TO
DISPLAY THEM.
INSTEAD, LASER ENGRAVING GREY-TINTED ACRYLIC NOT ONLY BROUGHT
THE PRICE POINT WITHIN BUDGET, BUT THE CLEAR MATERIAL ALSO LENT ITSELF
TO THE IDEAS OF TRANSPARENCY BOTH PHYSICAL AND METAPHORICAL.

10. PROJECT: THE WIENER LIBRARY WALL OF HONOUR
EXHIBITION DESIGN (WORK IN PROGRESS) DEENA DENARO DESIGN
WHILE THE TENSIONED STEEL CABLE DISPLAY SYSTEM ALLUDES TO BARBED WIRE FENCES, THE
PLAQUES SYMBOLISE PIXELS, SPEAKING TO ISSUES OF CENSORSHIP THAT CONCEAL OR REVEAL
INFORMATION IN A PATTERN THAT CHANGES DEPENDING UPON THE VIEWER’S VANTAGE POINT.
THIS NOTION OF CENSORSHIP AND DISINFORMATION WAS THE PRIMARY REASON THAT
DR. WIENER FOUNDED THE LIBRARY BACK IN 1933.
FINAL CONCEPT: PIXELS AND BARBED WIRE