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Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

Hawkins\Brown, Buckinghamshire, 2005

 

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The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre 

Guy Drayton     Download Original

  • The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre    
  • The courtyard is planted with birch trees indigenous to Norway, the birthplace of Roald Dahl    
  • The glazed gallery rationalises circulation while leaving the historic structures exposed    
  • The douglas fir staircase to the first-floor office space is a modern interpretation of the existing stair    
  • The hard surfacing suits the varied and intensive use of the courtyard    
  • The writer in residence    
  • The step up to the circulation gallery doubles as a children    
  • The centre aims to provide inspiration for young visitors    
  • The centre aims to provide inspiration for young visitors    
  • The chocolate door into the     
  • Inside the     
  • The     
  • The new-build gallery with view through to a gallery for temporary exhibitions    
  • The new-build gallery houses a replica of Dahl    
  • Plan    
  • Long section    
  • Short section    
  • Development sketches of the new-build gallery    
  • Development sketches of the new-build gallery    
  • The glazed link corridor under construction    
  • The glazed circulation corridor    
  • A 16th-century beam was uncovered during he enabling works    
  • Chocolate; inspiration for the outdoor paving in the courtyard    
  • Existing site    
  • Roald Dahl at work inside the writing hut at Gypsy House    
  • The objects Dahl kept on his writing desk    
  • Project architect Anna MacDougall at work on a model    
  • Details of the new-build within existing historic buildings    
  • Details of the new glazed circulation gallery    

Grade II listed former coaching inn and outbuildings, remodelled to create a museum celebrating the life of children's author Roald Dahl

Set around a cobbled courtyard amongst Grade II listed buildings the scheme includes galleries, an archive, a flat to let, café, a writer in residence studio, a shop, offices and interactive education spaces.

Key interventions include a timber clad exhibition gallery and a glazed circulation space linking the existing buildings and providing level access for all.

An electro-plating plant was demolished and replaced by a new building to house the Dahl Archive on a mezzanine and exhibition space below. Otherwise, the design team reconciled the existing accommodation with the different elements of the brief.

Data

  • Begun: Feb 2004
  • Completed: May 2005
  • Floor area: 1,084m2
  • Sectors: Arts and culture, Civic
  • Total cost: £2.1M
  • Tender date: Jan 2004
  • Procurement: Single Stage Main Works Contract JACT 98 with quantities
  • Address: 81-83 High Street, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, HP16 0AL, United Kingdom

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