Haley Sharpe Design (hsd)

Haley Sharpe Design (hsd) is a multi-disciplinary planning, interpretation, and experience design consultancy.  With over 40 years’ experience working across the cultural, heritage, museums, and attractions sectors. Our portfolio of projects includes placemaking and landscape interventions, feasibility and masterplanning, visitor experience planning and design, as well as branding and wayfinding. Our creative solutions are audience-focused, providing highly engaging social and learning experiences which enhance well-being for diverse audiences.

hsd enjoys a wealth of knowledge in the management of complex issues including attracting and engaging audiences, storyline and content development, communication, accessibility, displaying collections and supporting funding applications. We also have extensive skills providing experience and digital design and contract administration for projects large and small.  Current commissions include Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City, Wrexham Museum and the Welsh National Football Museum and Norwich Castle: Royal Palace Reborn. To see projects featured in our showreel visit – https://vimeo.com/552803460

In addition to interpretative and experience design, we bring eclectic skills in early stage planning for organisations. Skills in this area include feasibility studies, options appraisals, market assessments, strategic development, consultation structuring and implementation, activity planning and funding advice. Consultancy commissions include development planning for significant heritage, cultural and visitor projects and destinations, often as part of comprehensive sustainable regeneration and access initiatives within listed buildings and sensitive historic environments.  Recent commissions include Business Planning for Jewry Wall Museum, Strategic Development for the International Thoroughbred Trail (Ireland) and Options Development and NLHF Support for Watford Museum Redevelopment.

hsd delivers schemes which meet user/visitor needs and aspirations, and produces proposals that capture the imagination, creating memorable, enriching experiences and delivering long-term economic and social benefits. Our approach is to assist clients to make informed decisions determining the optimal development and creative approach to provide fantastic visitor experiences.

We offer the following services:

• Masterplanning
• Business and Feasibility Assessments
• Activity and Operational Planning
• Audience Studies and Consultation
• Interpretative Development
• Content Coordination
• Concept Visualisation
• Experience Visioning
• Developed and Technical Design
• Wayfinding and Signage
• Branding
• Art Direction and Media Management
• Project Management
• Build Implementation

Projects

hsd has worked for numerous leading heritage, cultural and natural environment organisations across the UK, Ireland and globally.   Recent portfolio highlights include:

HMS Victory

Redevelopment of ‘The Nation’s Flagship’ gallery, including hands-on tactile exhibits, collections displays, immersive film and quayside graphics.

The Postal Museum and Mail Rail

Dynamic exhibition exploring the story of the UK’s postal service and unique underground ride on the trains that delivered mail around London.

American Battle Monuments Commission

Visitor welcome, signage and exhibition projects at commemorative and cemetery sites across the UK, Europe and North Africa.

Norwich Castle: Royal Palace Reborn

NLHF-funded redevelopment of this historic site, including immersive exhibitions and collection-rich displays.

Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City

Interpretative design, branding and contract management for this city-wide maritime heritage redevelopment.

Boston Manor House

Business and operational planning, interpretation and experience design, and landscape intervention design for the re-imagining of this hidden London gem.

Watford Museum Redevelopment

Initial-stage options appraisal, impact assessment, RIBA Stage 1 interpretative design and funding support for the relocation and redevelopment of Watford Museum.

Museum of Hartlepool Case for Investment

Working with architectural partners, undertaking a strategic review, collections and visitor experience visioning exercise, development options and financial case for investment.