Power up is a permanent space at the Science Museum, London that showcases the history of video games and consoles from the past 50 years. 

The design aimed to create a space that recalled aspects and sensations of the digital worlds within gaming. 

The gallery is organised by a series of large bespoke furniture pieces that create different spaces, setting and scales. 

These are made with welded and powder coated frames that recall wire-frame computer graphics. The frames are infilled with panels of perforated metal sheet and coloured polycarbonate used in different combinations creating varying translucencies and suggest the pixelation and glow of screens. 

At the entrance, a perforated metal sheet is punched with a supergraphic title, backed by yellow polycarbonate sheet and lit integrally. This build up of layers allows glimpses through to see activity, shadow and movement as well revealing the wall build up itself. 

A long liner wall at the far end of the gallery is formed by a backlit graduated colourfield acting as an abstracted horizon like the sky of a 80’s driving game.

Lighting (by DHA) and graphics (by Europa) play a key role in creating moods and sensations. Popup pixelated speech bubbles and alerts help visitors navigate the space. Lighting picks out hard graphic edges of framing on one hand, and on the other creates sensations of depth.