There is a growing demand for new and refurbished spaces where people can enjoy mankind’s cultural wealth in all its forms. Museums, art galleries, theatres, concert halls and prestige civic buildings are important icons for their towns and cities. Visited by thousands of local people and tourists every week, they constitute a vital part of the public experience and help to foster a sense of community pride.
Buro Happold’s multi-disciplinary approach is tailor-made for the unique challenges of this diverse sector. Working closely with architects, we devise elegant and economical solutions that meet the needs of visitors while providing best value for our clients. Our local, national and international projects range from exciting new arts centres, galleries, libraries and theatres to the refurbishment of existing and historic cultural buildings.
Large museums and galleries function within very tight design criteria: they must provide accessible, open and connected spaces for people to view artefacts and paintings but need to safeguard the contents from the risk of fire, theft and damage. Our innovative structural engineering combined with a fire-engineered design approach ensures maximum spatial flexibility without compromising safety, comfort or security.
To deliver the most efficient design we utilise a number of our specialist technical services. Data produced by our people flow, disability design and security teams is fed back into the overall design to optimise circulation and create a safe, controlled environment for all visitors. Advanced building services systems control lighting, heating and humidity to create a balanced internal climate, vital for the preservation of valuable artworks.
In performance spaces like theatres and music venues, acoustics, lighting, sight lines and the seating layout play a key role in creating an intimate relationship between audience and performers. Easy access to bars, shops, restaurants and exits also contribute to a positive visitor experience. Our integrated design takes into account the vital behind-the-scenes areas such as dressing rooms and scenery workshops.
Visual and performing arts centres play a key role in the regeneration of urban areas and run-down industrial waterfronts – developers are able to unlock the value of urban sites by including ‘cultural’ buildings as part of a mixed residential, retail and leisure package. Buro Happold supports these developments with a full range of infrastructure services including masterplanning, land remediation, road and rail links, transport planning and utility provision.
Buro Happold also has extensive experience in the related area of media, exhibitions and entertainment. In the media world, we have completed many landmark projects in the broadcasting, recording, film and publishing industries. Our understanding of the needs of operators and end-users is essential in the design of exhibition buildings, which have to be flexible, large span structures that can accommodate a variety of events, including conferences and live performances.