CHUNG-LIND COLLECTIONS GALLERY
Our team designed and curated a major permanent exhibit space for Rare Books and Special Collections at UBC. The vast private collections of Wallace B. & Madeline H. Chung and Phil Lind encompass thousands of artifacts. Together they showcase the broader range of multicultural stories of Indigeneity, immigration, and colonial settlement that have shaped the history of British Columbia. Our design for this new 5,000 s.f. gallery housing the UNESCO-designated Chung collection integrates materials and design that reinforce our relationship to land and sea through the theme of voyages.
Client: UBC Library - Rare Books & Special Collections
Location: Vancouver, BC
Scope: Exhibition design and curation
Architect: Public
Curators: Dr. April Liu, Faith Moosang
Lind collection content advisors: Alestine Andre, Jean Barman, Michael Gates
Chung collection content advisors: John Haugen, Laura Ishiguro, Charles Menzies, Cliff Pereira, Henry Yu
Additional Design Elements: Resolve Design, Page Two, Dutch Igloo
Photography: Nic Lehoux and UBC Library Communications & Mktng
From the architectural foundation of the physical space, to original research in curation, and final design expression, we created an evocative interpretive experience which showcases over 700 artifacts in flexible, world-class casework. Working with our partners at Public Architecture, the Lost & Found team was honoured to spend five years on this remarkable project, beginning with interpretive planning and curation expertise of April Liu and Faith Moosang.
This collection celebrates that history is written in ephemera and protected by archivists. Cases are designed to protect and display small artifacts on paper through the use of flexible shelving, delicate wire and magnetic mounts, and robust discovery drawers. Our team collaborated with UBC to include the judicious use of audio-visual touchscreens and projection to display the rich photographic assets in both collections.
Spatial relationships were designed to provide greater viewer access to the collections through views to key artifacts, such as the scale model of the Empress of Asia, a treasured bequest of Dr. Wallace Chung. Restored over thousands of hours, this ship model represents the voyages undertaken by millions of newcomers to the shores of BC, including Dr. Chung’s immediate family members.
The gallery seamlessly incorporates the separate Klondike Gold Rush Collection donated to UBC by Phil Lind. Following the donation of this priceless family collection—Lind’s grandfather Johnny Lind was a trailblazing prospector at the outset of the Klondike gold rush, our team pivoted to weave the stories together. Dr. Chung's aphorism—"inherit the past, inspire the future"—frames the myriad challenging stories with a focus on learning from the past to build a better future.
Brushed gold, warm wood, and ice-capped mountain photos reinforce the theme of voyages on sea, ice, rails, and foot. The mythologies of western Canadian history, as represented in newspaper clippings, film posters, and travel advertising of the early 20th century, are challenged by the racist and discriminatory realities made evident in documents related to the downtown Vancouver “Chinese Detention Centre,” rare images of the many Chinatowns across North America, and a display of original Chinese Head Tax certificates.
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