As the title suggests, SOS: The Science of Prevention is an exhibition dedicated to prevention, which invites experts and general audiences to explore the unpredictable behaviour of nature, technology and human beings and to recognise the need to be cautious and not push the limits.
The exhibition examines different types of disasters, from natural and industrial disasters to those which, as in the case of fire, straddle both types–illustrated with historical examples that range from the eruption of Vesuvius to the sinking of the Titanic, through the Haiti earthquake and the Fukushima nuclear meltdown–and places particular emphasis on the importance of studying the phenomena and their associated risks in order to gain a better understanding of them and improve the technology and training to deal with them. Human beings and our capacity for response in a catastrophe occupy a central place in the organisation of the contents, as a narrative thread linking the different themes. Audiences will also be able to see and interact with real objects, replicas, simulators, scale models, interactives and audiovisuals in a dynamic and memorable experience.
In view of the family audience targeted by the exhibition, graphics form a crucial part of the design: striking photographs from the finest press agencies combine with explanatory drawings and diagrams to make the narratives and descriptions more accessible. Simplicity is the key note of the rest of the exhibition design: large rectangular tables—lacquered sheet in colours associated with danger and prevention—either holding graphics or serving as plinths for different objects, and slender panels offering supplementary information. Crown-like structures suspended from the ceiling with related images and graphic applications on the floor differentiate the various sections.
