Culture Workbook

CULTURE WORKBOOK JOHN McASLAN + PARTNERS CONTENTS 2 Designing New Cultural Experiences Projects “OUR PRACTICE’S COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPING 8 National Galleries of Scotland SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL PROJECTS, BOTH IN THE UK 12 Msheireb Museums AND INTERNATIONALLY, IS CENTRAL TO WHAT WE DO. WE 20 Cultural Forum 28 Msheireb Mosque ENSURE THESE PROJECTS ARE ANCHORED IN THE LOCAL 34 Friends House CULTURE BY CARRYING OUT THOROUGH STUDIES OF THE 36 St Albans Museum and Art Gallery URBAN FABRIC WHILE CONSULTING CLOSELY WITH LOCAL 38 The Burrell Renaissance 44 Natural History Museum AND NATIONAL INTEREST GROUPS” 46 MASP2 / Museu de Arte de São Paulo 48 Kericho Cathedral HANNAH LAWSON, PARTNER, JOHN McASLAN + PARTNERS 54 Royal BC Museum 58 Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery 60 Camberwell Library 62 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya 66 Museum of Russian Impressionism 70 Stanislavsky Factory 74 Museum of Methodism 76 Tate Millbank 78 Courtauld Institute 80 Volubilis 82 Roundhouse 90 Bexhill Museum 91 Royal Society of Arts 92 De La Warr Pavilion 96 78–82 Derngate 104 Timeline 106 End Matter 4 Culture Workbook 5 Designing New Cultural Experiences DESIGNING NEW CULTURAL EXPERIENCES Architects cannot define culture’s many physical manifestations precisely, because it is protean – like history, it is perpetually evolving, objectively and The Burrell Collection, Glasgow Friends House, London subjectively. Architects serve culture by adding greater contemporary relevance to the way significant buildings and places JMP’s cultural portfolio also includes new development masterplan for the Royal BC the crunch question: can something are experienced, but without damaging or transformed religious buildings and Museum will greatly strengthen its urban special, and culturally dynamic, be the spirit of their original character. The museums. These include Friends House, presence, public and academic appeal delivered within given constraints? culture of cultural projects, so to speak, is the London headquarters for Quakers in and international image. In London, for example, the practice’s uniquely sensitive. Britain,; the Museum of Methodism, also In Britain, the practice’s historically transformation of the Grade II* listed When should architects simply in London; Kericho Cathedral in Kenya; sensitive transformations of unique ex-railway turntable building known accentuate what already exists? And and the Jumaa Mosque in Doha. architectural masterpieces include as the Roundhouse not only created when should they intervene with a Other major projects in Doha and the renovation and extension of the one of the capital’s most successful strikingly innovative intervention? How Russia have provided the privileged Grade I listed De La Warr Pavilion in mixed performance venues, but also does one weigh the existing architectural opportunity to bring new approaches to Bexhill, considered by many critics to provided studio spaces specifically for character of a cultural building against the forms and programmes of key cultural be the key example of 1930s modernist local youngsters. One critic described the possibility of its transformation into buildings and sites in these fast-changing architecture in Britain. In Northampton, the outcome as “one of the most radical something significantly different? And how countries. In Doha, the practice’s the forensically precise restoration and experiments we have yet seen in cultural can the architect contribute to the delivery projects include the Cultural Forum and museum extension of 78–82 Derngate interaction, a venture that aims to set a of these visionary, but often financially Heritage House Museums within the has ensured the survival of Charles model for a multicultural society.” fraught projects? city’s Heritage Quarter. In Russia, the Rennie Mackintosh’s final architectural The remarkable range of projects John McAslan + Partners has renovation of the Moscow Arts Theatre work, dating from 1916. in this Workbook illustrates John addressed these challenges in cultural on the historic Stanislavsky Factory site, Cultural projects are uniquely McAslan + Partners’ great interest in projects of every type and scale, from the and the design of a new Museum of challenging. The buildings or sites reconstructing, and transforming, our ancient Romano-Islamic site at Volubilis Russian Impressionism as an integral involved are usually of historic ideas and experiences of culture through in Morocco, to cultural landmarks in the part of the practice’s wider transformation importance; the briefs that drive their architecture. UK such as the Natural History Museum, of the historic Bolshevik Factory site, proposed transformations are rarely The Burrell Collection in Glasgow, are evidence of the practice’s direct clear-cut, and they require a great deal of Jay Merrick National Galleries of Scotland, The contribution to 21st-century Russian re-examination with clients, and civic and Courtauld Institute and the Royal Society cultural development. In Canada, the heritage stakeholders. And there is always of Arts. The practice is recognised for its contribution to leading cultural institutions across the UK, and has recently been selected to deliver the new National Collections Facility at Granton, Edinburgh, for the National Galleries of Scotland. Similarly, the practice is currently playing a leading role in the modernisation and sensitive reconfiguration of the Grade A listed Burrell Collection in Glasgow - a building which is arguably the most intriguing British fusion of Modernist and Postmodern architecture. Museum of Russian Impressionism, Moscow Jumaa Daily Mosque, Doha, Qatar Cultural Forum, Doha, Qatar Museum of Russian Impressionism, Moscow 6 Culture Workbook 7 Projects PROJECTS 8 Culture Workbook 9 Projects NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND EDINBURGH John McAslan + Partners has been selected as the winner of an international competition to design a £75 million National Collections Facility at Granton, Edinburgh, for the National Galleries of Scotland. The key feature of the winning 40,000 sqm scheme will be an internal “street” running the length of the building - a vibrant new urban environment bringing together visitors, artists, academics, curators and conservators. At ground floor level, the street will be animated with small galleries, art rooms, lecture spaces, interpretation and research spaces, digital exploration facilities, and libraries – all open to the public and visiting partners. There is additional potential for social spaces, a café and health studios. This pedestrian spine could also link to the adjacent Madelvic Factory – an important piece of local industrial heritage which could provide additional space for start-up studios, galleries, and workshops for the creative sector. Right: internal “street”, National Collections Facility, Edinburgh 10 Culture Workbook 11 Projects Visualisations of the collections facility 13 Projects MSHEIREB MUSEUMS DOHA, QATAR John McAslan + Partners has transformed four historic courtyard houses, originally dating from the early twentieth century, to create the Msheireb Museums, Doha. Remodelled and extended, the Msheireb Museums will accommodate museum environments of international standard, alive with the memories and voices of Qatari history and including visitor facilities, restaurant and retail amenities. Imaginatively preserving Doha’s rich heritage, the Museums will communicate a distinct chapter of Qatari history and culture, revealing how Qataris lived and worked, their interests and aspirations. Opposite: facades of Mohammed Bin Jassim House, when restored and extended with new museum elements; top: Archive photo of site with overlay showing outlines of the restored Msheireb Museums; right: plan showing location of the four museums; below: section of Bin Jelmood House with new top-lit basement gallery and connecting atrium Left: Bin Jelmood House colonnade and courtyard prior to restoration, site under construction; opposite; below: illustration of one of the Msheireb Museums, showing key heritage elements; opposite: entrance door to Radwani House, facade of Mohammed Bin Jassim House HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND UNDERSTANDING Solid gypsum rukniat, decoratively carved Palm logs support rubble masonry between pillars of verandah Dhanshal beams support Verandah surrounding ceiling with bamboo courtyard gives access overlaid at 45 family rooms to all family rooms degrees while providing shade Doors of Indian hardwood with original furniture verandah Verandah Rukniat door window family rooms Water supply and washing area Graphic: Alan Gilliland Courtyard Oblique access to courtyard Majlis Gypsum plaster Earth layer Reed matting Bamboo Original timber Dhanshall beams spout drains roof Palm tree lintels, dhanshall beams, covered by bamboo from India and reed matting from the Euphrates Front entrance Soffit under stone Main Entrance passage gives access to the Majlis, or stair: rubble masonry visitors’ room, and provides oblique route to courtyard, is supported by ensuring effective screening of the women and children dhanshall beams Barred windows to guest room Habib Ali Hassan House, Doha, Qatar within. 16 Culture Workbook Opposite: Views of atrium and top-lit basement gallery within Bin Jelmood House; above: colonnade in Bin Jelmood House, exhibition space in Mohammed Bin Jassim House and Company House; below: top-lit ‘lattice’ roof enclosing a former external courtyard 18 Culture Workbook 19 Projects Exhibition spaces in Company House and Bin Jelmood House Exhibition

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