In previous articles we have written about our projects with the Dana Research Centre at the Science Museum and Hidden House. Both were recently added to the shortlists for RIBA London awards and we were very excited about awards night. This excitement reached new levels when it was revealed we had won an award. It was completely blown away when we won a second. This became our third after the RIBA East one we received.  

The Science Museum project was a pleasure to be involved in but presented a lot of challenges. The existing space was crowded, noisy, and uncomfortable due to the large windows and solar glare. We evaluated exactly what was needed to make the space more suited to inhabitants. The focus throughout the design process was to ensure their needs were met as effectively as possible.

The first stage of the project was to submit our designs as part of an invited competition. The winner would get to take on the work and bring their ideas to life. We happily won and got to work reconfiguring the space and creating the library.

To reduce the glare and make the space more comfortable we utilised a double-layered perforated screen. Alongside this mirrors, specific materials like oak, and white walls were utilised. This makes the space bright and attractive without overpowering or distracting glare.

The project brought an array of facilities to the Science Museum. Alongside the library we created private reading spaces, offices for staff, a research bar, and an area for viewing rare books. In the latter it was even more important to get the lighting correct to ensure it didn’t risk damaging the books.

We are immensely proud of both projects and the praise they have earned. We will continue to use the same well thought-out approaches on all of our projects, whether they are public, residential, or commercial architecture. If you would like to see images of either design you can do so on our website. Any questions please get in touch with us.