The National Railway Museum has unveiled five shortlisted design concepts for the
museum’s new Central Hall building - part of its £55m Vision 2025 development.
The design concepts by shortlisted architectural practices are available to view in
an online gallery and at a free public exhibition in the National Railway Museum’s
Great Hall from until 29 March 2020.
Members of the public can share their views on the proposals until Sunday 23
February – by filling out a comment slip at the exhibition or by emailing the
competition organisers.
With a construction budget of £16.5 million, the new Central Hall will transform the
arrival experience for visitors and create an appealing and compelling entrance space.
During museum opening hours, it will also provide a pedestrian route between Leeman Road and the Marble Arch pedestrian tunnel.
This 4,500 sqm centrepiece building will include a spectacular 1,000 sqm gallery to
showcase innovative rail technology and the museum’s world-class railway collection.
As well as the free-to-enter public exhibition, on Wednesday 26 February (4.30pm –
7.30pm) and Saturday 7 March (2.00pm – 4.00pm), visitors to the exhibition will be
able to meet museum colleagues and ask questions about the designs.
Central Hall will open in time for the museum’s 50th anniversary in 2025 and is a key
part of the museum’s £55m ‘Vision 2025’ development.
Vision 2025 comprises projects to transform the museum into a world-class visitor
attraction which include extensive landscaping of South Yard and redisplaying the
museum’s famous Great Hall.
The initiative will enable the museum to become the cultural anchor of York Central
and to attract more than one million visitors each year.
Judith McNicol, Director of the National Railway Museum, said:
“I am very pleased to share the five design concepts for our new Central Hall which
will showcase our collection and future innovations from the rail industry in an
inspirational, purpose-built gallery. I encourage people to visit and to share their
feedback. Although the final designs are some way off, the winning team will go on
to create the final building which will be the cultural focal point at the heart of York
Central.”
The design concepts on show are the work of five teams shortlisted
6a architects (UK) and OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen (Belgium)
Atelier d’Architecture Philippe Prost (France)
Carmody Groarke (UK)
Feilden Fowles (UK)
Heneghan peng architects (Ireland)
The five teams responded to a brief that included a need for the final building to be
sensitive to the railway heritage of surrounding buildings and to the City of York, as
well as ensuring that designs are environmentally sustainable.
Following the exhibition, teams will be interviewed by a distinguished jury later this
month, who will evaluate the proposals and select a winner. The jury will receive a
summary of all public comments collected by Sunday 23 February for consideration
as part of their decision.
The competition is being organised by independent specialists Malcolm Reading
Consultants and is being run in accordance with EU procurement guidelines and the
UK Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
The National Railway Museum exhibition is concerned with the designs for Central
Hall only and is not a part of public engagement for the York Central development.
Further details of upcoming York Central events can be found here:
https://www.york.gov.uk/info/20048/major_developments/1019/major_developments
_at_york_central
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