Special Exhibitions Gallery, Science and Industry Museum Manchester Building, Carmody Groarke English Architecture
Special Exhibitions Gallery, Science and Industry Museum Manchester
1 May 2022
Special Exhibitions Gallery at Science and Industry Museum, Manchester, Lancashire, Northwest England, UK
6 projects have been awarded RIBA Northwest Awards.
Design: Carmody Groarke
Special Exhibitions Gallery, Science and Industry Museum Building
Jury Report
Delivered as part of a masterplan with an aim of de-carbonising the estate, the Special Exhibitions Gallery re-purposes a basement storage area and sets up future lower ground connections for public access across the museum campus. The Grade II Listed warehouse structure dates back to 1880’s and its industrial splendour has been re-awakened with simple and intelligent design.
photo © Gilbert McCarragher
A new fully-accessible entrance has been introduced to what was a dark undercroft area to announce the museum access as part of the future new route through the site. Also an entrance for moving displays into the building, this new foyer has been carefully planned to accommodate both gallery guests and goods. The foyer area also sits beyond the building line without ownership of the land above so a confident approach has been taken to unavoidable water ingress through the historic fabric.
photo © Gilbert McCarragher
Back-lit full height fibre-glass panelled walls transform the visitor experience and welcome area; cleverly contrasting with the brickwork warehouse aesthetic whilst blending in tone. A continuous polished resin floor uniquely incorporates rose granite chips to further mediate old and new.
photo © Gilbert McCarragher
Creating a welcoming draw to eventual users of the new entrance from outside, the illuminated fibre-glass panels also create a dramatic and stimulating environment within the historic building. The gallery itself applies meticulous and simple planning of services installations and co-ordination to deliver an environmental, thermally stable exhibition space with reduced energy use. This goes beyond low energy fittings to the installation of open loop heat pumps and creation of new walls, bolstered with hygroscopic mass to reduce the need for dehumidification.
photo © Gilbert McCarragher
The gallery provides an exemplary low carbon solution to exhibition space. Its success is in the unique foyer design concept and gallery execution where the ‘special’ is created through design co-ordination and visual simplicity. Establishing both the masterplan connections and level of expectation for low-energy gallery design, this first phase of the wider regeneration scheme was delivered under budget, provides economic stability through environmental design and stimulates users through re-invention of the existing industrial structure.
photo © Science Museum Group
RIBA region: Northwest
Architect practice: Carmody Groarke
Date of completion: Dec 2020
Date of occupation: Dec 2020
Client company name: Science and Industry Museum
Project city/town: Manchester
Contract value: Confidential
Gross internal area: 985.00 m²
Net internal area: 965.00 m²
Cost per m²: Confidential
Contractor company name: HH Smith & Sons
Consultants
Structural Engineers: Price & Myers
Project Management: Gardiner & Theobald
Lighting Design: PJC Light Studio Limited
Building Services Engineer: Skelly & Couch
Quantity Surveyor: Appleyard & Trew
Planning Consultants: Deloitte Real Estate
Heritage Consultants: Heritage Architecture
Fire Engineers: Design Fire Consultants
Building Control: Butler & Young
Health and Safety: PFB Construction Management Services Ltd
Archaeologist: Salford Archaeology
Awards
• RIBA Regional Award
• Regional Award Short List
Special Exhibitions Gallery, Science and Industry Museum – RIBA Northwest Awards Shortlist 2022 images / information received 270422
Address: Liverpool Rd, Manchester M3 4FP, UK
Phone: 0330 058 0058
Location: Manchester, Manchester, Northwest England, UK
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