Five teams have been shortlisted to take part in a competition to help the British Museum find an architect-led team to develop designs for the Western Range at its site in Bloomsbury, London. The teams are led by 6a architects, David Chipperfield Architects, Eric Parry Architects with Jamie Fobert Architects, Lina Ghotmeh Architecture, and OMA.
Each team's design approach is on display at the Museum.
Here is the exhibition entry from 6a architects.
What is your team all about?
Our team - 6a architects, Purcell, Gitta Gschwendter, Kellenberger and White, and Arup - are architects, designers and engineers based near the Museum. We design award-winning, sustainable cultural projects in historic buildings around the world.
What is your big idea for the Western Range galleries?
We see the future of the British Museum as an ecosystem of artefacts and collections, people and places, nature and culture.
Reopening the original courtyards of the 1838 design creates spaces for beautiful gardens, introducing biodiversity into the heart of the Museum, and a stunning top-lit gallery for the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos.
They allow the surrounding brick vaults to be opened for the first time, revealing more space for artefacts and their stories.
Materials removed will be reused to make a roof garden, framing London's skyline.
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Photo: © Trustees of the British Museum -
Photo: © Trustees of the British Museum -
Photo: © Trustees of the British Museum -
Photo: © Trustees of the British Museum -
Photo: © Trustees of the British Museum -
Photo: © Trustees of the British Museum
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British Museum: 6a architects: Image 1
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British Museum: 6a architects: Image 2
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British Museum: 6a architects: Image 3
To find out more about architectural competitions, please call 020 8771 6445, or email competitions@colander.co.uk