The Museum of London has released a shortlist and designs for the West Smithfield International Design Competition, organized by Malcolm Reading Consultants. The site, which will be the museum’s future home after outgrowing its place at the Barbican, is part of London’s Smithfield Market and includes the Smithfield General Market building, the Fish Market, the Red House and the Engine House. Welcoming over a million annual visitors at its current home, the museum’s new facility would allow attendance to double and enable the display of never-before-seen artifacts from the historic collection. The competition was funded by the Mayor of London through a £200,000 grant.
This being an initial stage of the redesign process, the six shortlisted proposals offer a range of possibilities for what the new project – a combination of new construction and adaptive reuse – could look like. Further refinements will take place once a winner is selected by jury later this summer, after which the chosen team will work closely with the museum to promote institutional needs, while thoughtfully reimagining the historic Market space.
“Every time I visit Smithfield I come away buzzing with ideas and the energy of the place,” says Museum of London Director Sharon Ament. “It is clear from their concepts for a new museum that the architectural teams have been equally captivated by Smithfield’s vivid history and vibrant character. These six concepts which suggest a fascinating range of options will give the jury plenty to consider when deciding upon an architect to work with us to design the new museum.”
The shortlisted designs will be on view at an exhibition at the Museum of London from June 10 – August 5, 2016. The museum intends to submit a planning application for the West Smithfield site to the City of London Corporation in 2017, with the new museum set to open in 2021.
BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group (DK) with Hawkins\Brown, Donald Insall and Gehl Architects
BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group (DK) with Hawkins\Brown, Donald Insall and Gehl Architects. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group (DK) with Hawkins\Brown, Donald Insall and Gehl Architects. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
Caruso St John Architects (UK) with Alan Baxter Associates
Caruso St John Architects (UK) with Alan Baxter Associates. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
Caruso St John Architects (UK) with Alan Baxter Associates. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
Diener & Diener Architekten (CH) with Sergison Bates Architects, East Architecture and Graphic Thought Facility
Diener & Diener Architekten (CH) with Sergison Bates Architects, East Architecture and Graphic Thought Facility. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
Diener & Diener Architekten (CH) with Sergison Bates Architects, East Architecture and Graphic Thought Facility. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
Lacaton & Vassal Architects (FR) with Pernilla Ohrstedt Studio, Allies and Morrison and Alan Baxter Associates
Lacaton & Vassal Architects (FR) with Pernilla Ohrstedt Studio, Allies and Morrison and Alan Baxter Associates. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
Lacaton & Vassal Architects (FR) with Pernilla Ohrstedt Studio, Allies and Morrison and Alan Baxter Associates. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
Stanton Williams (UK) with Asif Khan, Julian Harrap, J&L Gibbons and Plan A
Stanton Williams (UK) with Asif Khan, Julian Harrap, J&L Gibbons and Plan A. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
Stanton Williams (UK) with Asif Khan, Julian Harrap, J&L Gibbons and Plan A. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
studio Milou architecture (FR) with RL & Associés, Axis Architects and Alan Baxter Associates
studio Milou architecture (FR) with RL& Associés, Axis Architects and Alan Baxter Associates. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
studio Milou architecture (FR) with RL& Associés, Axis Architects and Alan Baxter Associates. Image Courtesy of Malcolm Reading Consultants
The Jury:
Sonita Alleyne, OBE, FRSA, Founder, The Yes Programme
Sharon Ament, Director, Museum of London
Clive Bannister, Chair, Museum of London Board of Governors and Group Chief Executive, Phoenix Group Holdings
David Camp, Governor, Museum of London and Chief Executive, Stanhope|
Evan Davis, Governor, Museum of London and television and radio presenter (Jury Chair)
Dr Stephen Deuchar CBE, Director, Art Fund
Sir Simon Jenkins, journalist, author and broadcaster
Professor Robert Mull, Architect, Former Director of Architecture and Dean of the Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design, and Trustee of the Architecture Foundation
Lucy Musgrave, Director, Publica
Jörn Rausing, Governor, Museum of London
Malcolm Reading, Malcolm Reading Consultants (adviser to the jury)
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