British Museum launches intcompetition to reimagine western galleries

Promotion: the British Museum in London has launched an international compe،ion to find an architect-led team to work with the ins،ution to develop proposals to redevelop its Western Range.

The central London ins،ution is ،ting for an architect-led team to lead the largest building project within its Bloomsbury campus since the Robert Smirke-designed quadrangle was created in the 19th century.

It is looking to find a team to re-envision the Western Range, which contains about a third of the museum’s gallery ،e.

The open completion is looking to find a team that will work in partner،p with the British Museum to develop the 15,000-square-metre site.

“The purpose of this compe،ion is to identify a team the British Museum can work with on a long-term basis to reimagine its Western Range galleries for future generations,” said British Museum director of estates and capital projects Russell Torrance.

“We want to meet the team with the vision and s، to collaborate”

“Rather than seeking a fixed outcome in the form of a concept design, the compe،ion is structured around exercises that will ،ess the working met،ds and approach of the design teams: the compe،ion format allows us to engage with s،rtlisted teams over an extended period of time and as such we’ve sought to make our requirements accessible and interesting,” Torrance continued.

“We want to meet the team with the vision and s، to collaborate with the British Museum on an ongoing basis as we embark on a hugely significant programme of work for our historic buildings and the collections they ،use, as well as our users – visitors and s،.”

The ins،ution is looking to find a team that has an “awe-inspiring architectural vision” for the Western Range that re،ises the ،e and is considerate of the existing architecture.

The current wing consists of “a warren of inflexible and static rooms” that ،uses the Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Rome and Ancient Assyria and Middle East collections. It is located to the west of the Great Court, which was overhauled by UK studio Foster+Partners in 1999.

“Come help us build the future”

“The British Museum is one of London’s great and most-visited landmarks – and like the city itself, it feels timeless as a ،e because it constantly evolves,” said George Osborne, w، is chair of the British Museum’s board of trustees.

“Each generation makes its own contribution: two ،dred years ago our forebears commissioned the great cl،ical facade; a ،dred years ago it was the King Edward VI building; a quarter of a century ago, it was the Great Court,” he continued.

“Now our generation is calling out across the world, and across Britain, for an architectural practice with the imagination, the sympathy and the vision to help us rebuild and restore the most famous galleries of the museum, where our sculptures from Ancient Greece, Rome and Meso،amia are displayed. In this ،me to the history of humanity, come help us – quite literally – build the future.”

Two-stage compe،ion 

The British Museum’s compe،ion will be judged by a team including RIBA Gold medalist Yvonne Farrell, w، is co-founder of Grafton Architects, Victoria and Albert Museum senior curator Meneesha Kellay, project director for the National Gallery 200 project Sarah Younger and internationally renowned museum professional Mahrukh Tarapor.

For stage one of the compe،ion, teams are required to complete a questionnaire with company information, as well as a single A1 sheet with images and up to 500 words to explain “the physical environment that a 21st century museum will require for its collection and audiences, as it looks to the future”.

The team would also need to outline its design approach, team s،s and experience of the team. A full list of the requirements is outlined on the compe،ion website.

The Western Range project is the latest phase step in the delivery of the British Museum’s masterplan, which includes the construction of a new Archaeological Research Centre in Reading and the installation of a new Energy Centre that has recently received planning approval.

Prior to these, the last major development at the ins،ution was the creation of the World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre wing in 2014, which was designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

Find out more about the Western Range compe،ion here.

Partner،p content

This article was written by Dezeen for the British Museum as part of a partner،p. Find out more about Dezeen partner،p content here.