Lara is skilled at drawing out compelling storylines to connect to visitors. She is experienced in meeting the desires and needs of the client to ensure longevity to her designs.
About Lara
Lara Simmons is an independent interpretation specialist and heritage professional based in Wellington, New Zealand. She believes the best experiences are personal, immersive and utilise all the senses. She advocates for storytelling through design and leaving space for visitors to make their own connections. Lara has a Masters of Museum and Heritage Practices from Victoria University in Wellington.
Prior to starting Trestle Creative, Lara Simmons was a Senior Heritage Advisor for Wellington City Council. During her time there she drafted an Interpretation Strategy for the council which sets forth a set of values and principles to guide storytelling in the city. The strategy champions Te Ao Māori perspectives and encourages storytelling through design. She takes this values based approach and a strong desire to further the presence of Te Ao Māori with her into her current practice.
In her spare time you might find Lara exploring the tide pools on the rocks near her home on Wellington’s south coast or walking up the nearby hills to enjoy the views. She is an avid cat lover and collector of sentimental objects.
'Everything in my house has a story ... that's the interpreter in me.'
Why trestle?
Well it’s all about something we feel quite strongly about “supporting connections.” A trestle is a braced framework of timber or steel that is used to support bridges. These remarkable structures use a bunch of interlocking individual pieces to enable strong connections over ordinarily large gaps. This is what we aim to achieve through our interpretation work.
Why creative?
Well because that’s how we do it, in new and exciting ways. We love working collaboratively to think outside the box and develop new and exciting ways to engage people with heritage. There is no set way of doing things. Every project is approached with a desire to do something new, unique, and exciting.