Topolski: Memoir of the 20th Century

Topolski Memoir, South Bank, London, 2008

The ‘Memoir of the 20th Century’ is Feliks Topolski’s visual record of the personalities and the social and political events of a century that he witnessed and chronicled during a lifetime spent crossing the five continents. For the past quarter of a century this panoramic 600 foot long diary, donated to the nation by Topolski in 1984, has been exhibited under the railway arches of Hungerford Bridge next to London’s Royal Festival Hall. Casson Mann were asked to help the Trustees create a learning resource centre for artists, students and the general public and to enhance the presentation and interpretation of the Memoir for a 21st century audience. Casson Mann’s approach was to find a way to give the interpretation a gentle helping hand and tell the story both of a man and of the history of the 20th Century. The Memoir opens to the public in Summer 2008.

Client: Topolski Memoir Ltd
Size: 385 square metres
Casson Mann’s role: Lead Consultant, Exhibition Designer
Team: James Goggin (Graphic Design), DHA Design (Lighting Design), Victoria Kingston (Interpretation), Levitt Bernstein (Architects)