Garden Gallery
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Tim Crocker (website) Download Original
Refurbishment of existing gallery space within the Science Museum to provide a Garden Gallery
The refurbishment of the existing Garden Gallery for 3-6 year olds intended to appeal to adults and children to fulfill the client’s aspiration to increase visitors’ sense of wonder. This was achieved by a play on the gallery’s name and mainly water focused interactive exhibits with the gallery conceptually turning into a giant garden pond.
Large green lily pad-shaped acoustic panels hang from the ceiling to improve poor acoustics, blue non-slip flooring and floor drainage channels address problems of falling and flooding and the existing concrete structure is painted in alternating panels of light green and blue to visually extend the main spaces and draw the visitors eye through the gallery encouraging exploration of the spaces and exhibits. The light, calm colour scheme helps to manage over excitement levels in the children whilst the predominantly dark blue in the light and sounds gallery enhance the light exhibits.
Data
- Begun: Aug 2013
- Completed: Oct 2013
- Floor area: 195m2
- Sector: Arts and culture
- Total cost: £67,000
- Funding: Public
- Tender date: Jun 2013
- Procurement: NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract
- Address: Garden Gallery, Basement Level, Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Mustard Architects
- Client: Science Museum
- Main Contractor : FWA
- Structural engineer: Hardman Structural Engineers
Suppliers
- Acoustic panels: Sound Control Services
- Flooring specialist: Nora Rubber Flooring
- Rubber Flooring: Altro
- Floor Covering: Interface Flor