foster + partners finalizes first phase of imperial war museum renovation

foster + partners finalizes first phase of imperial war museum renovation
image courtesy of the imperial war museum

the imperial war museum london has unveiled the first phase of the institution’s redevelopment, masterplanned by global architecture office foster + partners. the project involves the complete refurbishment of the existing structure in order to improve public access and circulation routes. planned to coincide with the centenary of the first world war, the exhibitions document individual and collective stories of modern war and conflict, examining their cultural significance.

the institution’s book store and café have been repositioned at the lower level of the design
image courtesy of the imperial war museum

a vast atrium forms the center of the reconfiguration, filled with the museum’s largest exhibits. guest facilities are positioned at the base of the building, with a new opening in the floor of the central hall visually connecting the scheme and bringing daylight deep into the lower levels of the design. above, the barrel vaulted roof has been re-clad with high performance glazing and a shading screen that minimizes solar glare.

the vast atrium contains the museum’s largest exhibits
image courtesy of the imperial war museum

further stages of the project involve creating a single accessible entrance below the existing portico stairway, while externally, the sealed ground-floor windows along the western façade are to be transformed into colonnades. in turn, this will allow the building to form a closer and more natural relationship with the adjacent public park.

the central hall visually connects the scheme and brings daylight deep into the lower levels
image courtesy of the imperial war museum

‘our project for the imperial war museum makes an important contribution to our ongoing work in historic buildings. we have peeled away some of the recent additions to celebrate and restore the historic architecture, opening the building up to the park and revealing the gallery levels inside an impressive new hall’, explained spencer de grey, head of design at foster + partners.

senior partner, michael jones continued: ‘it is a privilege to work with the imperial war museum to commemorate this important centenary – the process of learning about the collection and working with the museum’s curators and staff has been fascinating. today’s events are an important milestone in the long-term regeneration of the building, a project that will transform the experience for visitors and establish a new relationship with the surrounding park, which will benefit both.’

the barrel vaulted roof has been re-clad with high performance glazing and a shading screen
image courtesy of the imperial war museum

the exhibitions document individual and collective stories of modern war and conflict
image courtesy of the imperial war museum

the project involves the refurbishment of the existing structure in order to improve circulation routes
image courtesy of the imperial war museum

a spitfire hung within the atrium
image courtesy of the imperial war museum

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project info:

location: london, united kingdom
area: 22,500 sqm
client: the imperial war museum
structural engineer: buro happold
quantity surveyor: turner and townsend
m+e engineer: buro happold
lighting engineer: george sexton associates
additional consultants: jonas deloitte, jonas deloitte, sandy brown, buro happold, alan baxter & associates llp, court catering equipment ltd., scott white and hookins, centre for accessible