The entrance to the UPSTAIRS exhibition. UPSTAIRS – Æ LAUT As a follow-up to ECCO’s 50th anniversary in 2013, it was decided to create a dedicated space in Bredebro where visitors could learn about ECCO´s history, values, and developments in technology, design, and production across the decades. The result has been the creation of an ECCO exhibition called UPSTAIRS, based in a building at Toosbuys Torv. Æ LAUT is the Danish name of the exhibition, written in local dialect, and it can be translated as ‘upstairs’ or ‘the loft’. The exhibition features sophisticated interactive audio and visual elements that directly engage the visitor in a hands-on learning experience about ECCO’s leather and shoe production. Visitors learn about ECCO’s past, and its future, by sensing, touching, and operating many of the exhibition’s displays. From the moment visitors enter the exhibition, they are immersed in a world of leather. The walls and part of the ceiling of the exhibition room are covered with 150 full cowhides. The room is divided into seven interaction areas, which teach visitors about everything from leather cutting to finishing. The various layers of information media devices create a rich narrative environment in which all the senses are touched: visitors can literally feel, listen, and interact with ECCO’s history and current operation in several ways. The production process is explained in the centre of the exhibition space. There are seven interactive tables, which show how an ECCO shoe is made, step-by-step, from initial sketches to the final quality check before the 38 ECCO Annual Report 2015 shoe is delivered to the shop. The interactions allow visitors to experience for themselves how ECCO operates, and what skills are needed to actually produce a shoe. Visitors can, for instance, sew a shoe together virtually, while simultaneously listening to a soundtrack in which ECCO employees explain how they approach the process. The leather used to cover surfaces in the exhibition was produced by ECCO Leather and applied by employees. All their techniques and skills are revealed in the ECCO timeline, which highlights their craftsmanship. This, combined with modern media such as film, animations, interactives, and audio players gives visitors an engrossing insight into the ECCO story, its way of working, and its multi-faceted expertise. The exhibition was designed by the Dutch exhibition architects Kossmann.dejong, who are known for creating exhibitions using original historic objects, scenography, images, film, light, and sound. The designers benefitted from the input of specialised knowledge and the passion for shoemaking, of more than 40 ECCO employees. The exhibition is an important focal point for every visitor’s introduction to ECCO. It helps them to understand not only the challenging combination of craft-skills and high technology in leather-making and shoe production, but also emphasises that ECCO is a family-owned company which has retained its strong roots in southwest Jutland. The UPSTAIRS – Æ LAUT exhibition is open for new and visiting ECCO employees, suppliers, customers, other commercial visitors, school classes, and local societies.
Download PDF file
Files
Cookie policy