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Press releases
- The Clash’s Paul Simonon’s famous Fender Precision bass to go on display
- Museum of London acquires ensemble inspired by the creativity of the Windrush generation
- Feeding Black: Community, Power & Place opening 16 July at Museum of London Docklands
- Museum of London acquires NHS sign from ZSL London Zoo’s Giraffe House as part of Collecting COVID
- Museum of London sites set to reopen 19 May with extensions of Dub London: Bassline of a City and Havering Hoard: A Bronze Age Mystery
- Museum of London acquires Mayor of Lambeth’s homemade ceremonial chain as part of Collecting COVID project
- Museum of London acquires ‘viral’ Tweets for Collecting COVID
- Weavers’ Company donate £100,000 to the Museum of London’s move to Smithfield
- Museum of London receives Trump Baby blimp ahead of the Presidential Inauguration
- Museum of London to collect COVID dreams
- Arsenal’s captain donates Black Lives Matter shirt to the Museum of London
- Dub London: Bassline of a City opening 2 October at the Museum of London
- Public statement October 2020
- London Sugar & Slavery gallery
- New major exhibition Havering Hoard: A Bronze Age Mystery opens 11 September at the Museum of London Docklands
- Robert Milligan statue statement
- Museum of London sites to reopen 6 August with four-week extension of The Clash: London Calling display
- Public statement
- Museum of London releases first ever recorded soundscapes of London alongside new recordings of London in lockdown as part of Collecting COVID project
- Design concepts for new museum at West Smithfield revealed
- The Museum of London collects shared experiences of Ramadan in lockdown as part of Collecting COVID project
- Unheard oral histories are released by the Museum of London to mark Windrush Day
- Collecting Covid: the Museum of London seeks to mark unprecedented pandemic for the future
- Millicent Fawcett’s ‘Steadfastness and Courage’ brooch to go on permanent display for the first time
- Museum of London submits plans to create a new world-class cultural destination in West Smithfield
- King Charles I’s execution vest to go on display in new major exhibition
- Museum of London to celebrate Dub Reggae and its influence on the capital
- East End bastion Syd’s coffee stall to be donated to the Museum of London
- Free exhibit celebrating the making of The Clash’s ground-breaking album ‘London Calling’ now open
- Museum of London acquires extremely rare plate that belonged to Samuel Pepys
- The story of the Krios of Sierra Leone to be told in the Museum of London Docklands’ latest display
- Museum of London to host The Clash: London Calling exclusive free exhibit of over 100 personal items
- The largest ever Bronze Age hoard in London has been discovered
- Designs for Museum of London’s new West Smithfield home revealed
- Smithfield Street Party
- Museum of London hopes to acquire both the Trump Baby Blimp and the Sadiq Khan Blimp as part of their permanent collection
- Secret Rivers
- Beasts of London
- Recently acquired panorama goes on display for the first time at the Museum of London
- Museum of London appoints leading names to Board of Governors
- Earliest skull ever mudlarked from the Thames to go on display at the Museum of London
- Museum of London acquires beautiful panorama of lost Houses of Parliament
- Bengali arts and culture on show at the Museum of London Docklands family festival.
- Young Londoners to take over Museum of London this March
- Treasured children’s author Jacqueline Wilson’s latest book Wave Me Goodbye inspires family day at the Museum of London Docklands
- Adventures in Peter Pan’s Neverland at Museum of London Docklands
- Photography of Londoners and their pastimes on show at Museum of London
- Museum of London Docklands celebrates Chinese New Year this February half term
- Museum of London Docklands to showcase rare Roman sarcophagus in first public display
- “Reputational whitewashing” investigated in latest display at the Museum of London Docklands.
- Taste not waste: Be inspired by unique recipes using your leftover food for a more sustainable future London
- Whitechapel’s famous monster fatberg is coming to the Museum of London
- An Idea for a Future London open call winner announced
- London Visions: Hypothetical scenarios of a future London
- Rare George Cross medal goes on display at the Museum of London Docklands
- Smithfield street party: Museum of London celebrates 150 years of Smithfield markets
- Technology replacing jobs won’t halt our working spirit
- Learn how to code like a pro and celebrate digital technology at the Museum of London’s free family festival
- Votes for Women programme
- All aboard for the Maritime music festival
- New display reveals complex history of British Army’s West India Regiments
- Paddington returns to Museum of London
- Bonus Levels: Artist Lawrence Lek invites viewers to re-imagine future London
- The Museum of London hopes to acquire Whitechapel 'fatberg'
- The City is Ours: A Tale of New Cities
- Tracking London’s most talked about topics and emojis
- London Nights: Museum of London unveils the city at night in major photography exhibition
- Statement on 20 May 2017
- Malcolm Reading Consultants appointed to run West Smithfield International Design Competition
- What does the future hold for London and cities around the world?
- Museum of London releases third and final Great Fire 1666 Minecraft map
- Museum of London acquires 100 menswear items worn by townscape consultant Francis Golding
- 8,000 years of human history on display at the Museum of London Docklands
- Five Museum of London apprentices appointed
- Museum of London displays recently acquired Sutherland drawings in new exhibition of Blitz artwork
- Mayor of London and City of London Corporation pledge support for new Museum of London at West Smithfield
- Museum of London uses Minecraft to recreate the Great Fire of 1666
- Rare tools give insight into working lives of Roman Londoners at the Museum of London
- Museum of London opens most theatrical exhibition ever to mark 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London
- New display at the Museum of London traces the capital’s obsession with ice skating
- Historic vessels Knocker White and Varlet set sail to new home at Trinity Buoy Wharf
- Missing Bake Off? Take your taste buds back in time with 17th century gingerbread
- Rare Victoria Cross with mysterious story to go on display at the Museum of London
- Museum of London bolsters its art collections
- 17th century fire engine restored for Great Fire exhibition
- Museum of London boosts Great Fire collections with mysterious manuscript
- After dark at The Night Museum
- New display about the life of ‘The Royal African’ and the slave trade
- Joe Corré, Jordan and Richard Boon to appear in an uncensored, live Punk.London debate
- People of Punk bring the year of celebration to an end
- Tunnel: the archaeology of Crossrail
- New research to shed fresh light on the impact of industrialisation
- Our statement on Fabric
- Behind the Scenes of the Museum of London
- Sir Edward Lister joins Museum of London Board of Governors
- Another record-breaking year for the Museum of London
- West Smithfield International Design Competition launched
- Major new gallery at Museum of London Docklands explores history of the world's largest docks
- West Smithfield Design Competition shortlist announced
- Stanton Williams and Asif Khan to design new Museum of London at West Smithfield
West Smithfield International Design Competition launched
11 February 2016
- Design challenge to reuse fine Victorian buildings whilst making inspired contemporary interventions to create a new museum which tells the extraordinary story of London and Londoners
- Broadcaster and journalist Evan Davis to chair jury
- Established and emerging designers encouraged to enter
- Deadline for Expressions of Interest 14:00 GMT Tuesday, March 15 2016
The Museum of London and Malcolm Reading Consultants today launched an international search for an outstanding architect or team of architects to create a new building for the museum at West Smithfield in the City of London.
The project at the heart of the two-stage design competition has a £130-150m construction budget and is focused on housing the Museum of London within a group of heritage buildings on the historic West Smithfield site. This will enable the Museum of London to welcome more visitors and display many more objects.
This will enable the Museum of London to engage more Londoners with their city and its history, giving them exciting new ways to participate as citizens of arguably the world’s most global of cities. The richness of the 6 million plus collection will be displayed, with many objects on show for the first time.
The site covers approximately 25,000 sq m. It comprises the vacant Smithfield General Market, the vacant Fish Market, the Red House, the Engine House and other elements.
The new Museum of London in West Smithfield will be at the heart of a new cultural hub in the City of London with outstanding connections to the rest of London and the world thanks to the much-anticipated Crossrail interchange at Farringdon. Through its evocative buildings, its compelling programmes and outstanding collections, the museum aims to become one of London’s top five most visited museums.
No design is sought at the first stage. At the second stage a panel will select at least five shortlisted designers, who will be briefed and asked to produce design concepts. The competition, which is being managed by Malcolm Reading Consultants, has been designed to be sympathetic to emerging and established practices. The turnover threshold for entrants has been set relatively low (in relation to project value) at £2m and collaborations between architects are encouraged. The Museum of London welcomes collaborations between architects.
Funded by the Mayor of London through a £200,000 grant, the competition is being run in accordance with European Union procurement guidelines under the Restricted Procedure. Competitors will need to upload their responses through the Delta procurement portal via the web address below.
Full details of the competition are available on the dedicated website:
https://competitions.malcolmreading.co.uk/museumoflondon
In the second stage of the competition a panel will select at least five designers, who will be briefed and asked to produce design concepts.
Sharon Ament, Director of the Museum of London, said:
“London is brilliantly creative and brilliantly connected to the rest of the world. I cannot wait to see schemes for West Smithfield from designers working in all four corners of the globe. The challenge of sympathetically reinventing a series of fascinating and wonderful buildings and reimagining them as a museum is big, a bit scary and terribly exciting, much like London itself.”
Malcolm Reading, architect and competition organiser, said:
“We’ve been conscious of the need to level the field for competitors by keeping the turnover threshold low relative to the scale of the project. Designers who can’t meet this level are encouraged to collaborate with others. The museum’s international brand and the draw of working in one of the world’s most creative cities are just two of many fascinating aspects of the project. We’re seeking to attract a diverse pool of international talent.”
Full details of the competition jury will be announced later in the process, but confirmed members include, broadcaster and journalist Evan Davis (chair); Director of the Museum of London, Sharon Ament; Chairman of the Board of Governors Clive Bannister, and Chief Executive of Stanhope and Museum of London Board member, David Camp. The jury will be advised by Malcolm Reading. A panel will be announced for the shortlisting process.
The competition deadline Tuesday 15 March 2016 14:00 GMT. The shortlist for the second stage is expected to be announced in the spring and, following a public exhibition of the shortlisted entries, the winning team is expected to be announced in summer 2016. The museum’s aim is to achieve planning permission, raise the necessary capital funds and deliver the new museum in 2021.
-ENDS-
Contact us
To contact the press team please visit the News Room page.
About The Museum of London
The Museum of London tells the ever-changing story of this great world city and its people, from 450,000 BC to the present day. Our galleries, exhibitions, displays and activities seek to inspire a passion for London and provide a sense of the vibrancy that makes the city such a unique place.
The museum is open daily 10am – 6pm and is FREE to all, and you can explore the Museum of London with collections online –
home to 90,000 objects with more being added. www.museumoflondon.org.uk
About Malcolm Reading Consultants
Malcolm Reading Consultants (MRC) is a strategic architectural consultancy which specialises in the selection of contemporary designers. MRC believes in the power of design to create new perceptions and act as an inspiration – either at the local level, or internationally.
The consultancy offers a service to find the very best designers for clients with new building projects, whether through open-international, or private-invited competitions. Recent work in this area includes competitions for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s Culture & Education Quarter, the Mumbai City Museum, the Natural History Museum, the UK Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015, New College, Oxford, the Cadogan Estate, Marlborough College, Aberdeen City Garden project, the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Exhibition Road project, the UK Pavilion for the Shanghai Expo and the Glasgow School of Art.
About The Cultural Hub
The City of London Corporation has a long history as a leading investor in the arts including the Barbican, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London Symphony Orchestra and Museum of London in the Square Mile. Together they are working to transform the area from Farringdon to Moorgate and the evolving cultural hub to create an unparalleled destination that is an internationally renowned, distinctive, vibrant and welcoming centre for the arts, heritage, learning and entertainment. A potential new Centre for Music and new Museum of London are a key part of the vision for the cultural hub and will help to redefine this area of the City well in to the future and reinforce the City’s central role in the cultural life of the country.