Creative Brief

When HGA was invited to interview for the NoVA Science Center project, we were shortlisted among six teams, each allotted 30 minutes to present in back-to-back time slots. Designated first in the lineup, we understood more than ever our need to captivate the committee from the outset. With a provided list of questions, our goal was to focus on responsive messaging and evocative presentation to leave a lasting impression.

A major theme for this children’s science museum is best summarized by the phrase, “at the intersection of learning + play.” Our idea was to reinforce this concept by introducing a metaphor of “flight,” appealing to STEM principles, interactive learning, wonder, and play—for children and adults alike. We introduced this theme of sophisticated whimsey from the beginning when we distributed leave-behinds by “flying” paper airplanes to the selection committee.

The airplanes were constructed from two pieces of 60 lb. bond paper printed with full bleeds: the plane “body” displayed a simple yet compelling image from our portfolio, and the plane “tail,” which could be removed via a “pull” tab, revealed HGA facts, relevant imagery, and highlighted the project team (aka “flight crew”) and individual roles (eg Principal-in-Charge aka Air Traffic Control, Project Manager aka Pilot, etc). This helped our team to demonstrate their expertise while letting their personalities shine. We reiterated the theme of flight throughout the spoken interview and through our presentation boards with a graphic paper airplane flightpath that traveled across the supporting visuals in order of presentation.