The Design Museum has just announced that it will open the doors of its new Kensington High Street venue on 24 November 2016, having spent £83 million on the John Pawson-designed transformation of the Grade II* listed former Commonwealth Institute building.
“This move will redefine the Design Museum as the most inspiring, exciting and engaging contemporary design and architecture museum in the world, with 10,000sqm of space, and a target of 650,000 visitors each year,” says Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum. “Design is the way to ask questions about what technology is doing to us, to explore how the world will look and work, as well as to define new aesthetic approaches. The museum will have a challenging programme that encourages new work and new thinking, and the touring, digital and publications programme will take the message around the world. The museum will nurture new generations of designers and continue its history of recognising and supporting emerging design talent.”
The three-fold increase in size will enable the museum to make its permanent collection accessible to the public, for free, for the first time in the museum’s history. Entitled Designer, Maker, User, the collection will be displayed in an exhibition, designed by Studio Myerscough, that tells the story of design from those three perspectives. Highlights of the museum’s permanent collection include: the Valentine typewriter for Olivetti by Ettore Sottsass and Perry King; Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert’s British road signs; and the Obama ‘Progress’ poster by Shepard Fairey. The entrance wall will feature a crowd- sourced selection of affordable consumer goods – a call for suggestions opens today.
“The Design Museum is one of the UK’s world-class cultural institutions showcasing the best of contemporary design and architecture,” says Culture Minister Ed Vaizey. “I’m delighted the museum will have its first free permanent display, which will make exciting design even more accessible to the public.”
The two temporary exhibitions that will open in the new space have also been announced today – the ninth iteration of the Designs of the Year will open alongside Justin McGuirk‘s first exhibition in his new role as museum’s chief curator, entitled Fear and Love: Reactions to a Complex World. A collection of specially commissioned installations will explore our hopes and doubts about the pace and impact of change.
Chelsfield LLP and the Ilchester Estate, who formed a joint venture to develop the site, donated the building and land, together with the cost of refurbishing the shell and core of the building; The Heritage Lottery Fund supported the project with a grant of £4.9 million; and Arts Council England supported the project with a capital grant of £3 million. “We are pleased that we have been able to support the Design Museum’s capital development, says Joyce Wilson, Arts Council England’s Area Director for London. “The relocation and expansion reflects the world-leading organisation the museum has become. With its expanded capacity for education and engagement it will further the Arts Council’s investment in creativity and innovation and reinforce our goal: great art and culture for everyone.”
As well as additional exhibition space, the Design Museum’s new building will incorporate the Swarovski Foundation Centre for Learning, the Bakala Auditorium, the Sackler Library and Archive and a Designers in Residence Studio, which will open with a showcase of the work of the 2016 Designers in Residence, due to be announced this spring. There will also be a café, restaurant, and members’ room and partnership with Vitra will provide furniture for the museum’s public and office spaces.
Phaidon have been appointed to publish books to accompany each exhibition, alongside a new guide and history of the Design Museum. The museum’s visual identity has been updated by Fernando Gutiérrez Studio. Cartlidge Levene are creating the wayfinding and signage system. The museum’s recently relaunched multi-award winning website was created with Fabrique.
“If you forced me to pick the single most rewarding achievement in my long design career then I would not hesitate to say founding the Design Museum in London,” says Sir Terence Conran. “It was a hugely important moment for design in the UK at the time and for me personally. Since 1989 the museum has always led the way and been the first to show some of the work and inspirations of many of the most important designers and architects on the planet. Today, we are about to move from Shad Thames to new, bigger premises in Kensington, where all our dreams and ambitions to create the best and most important design museum in the world will become a step closer to reality. It will make my long lifetime in design absolutely worthwhile.”
The Design Museum’s current site in Bermondsey will close to the public on 30 June 2016. Its final event will be Weekend Punk, a two-day celebration of the influence and legacy of punk design – part of 2016’s year-long Punk London festival.
Further reading for the especially geeky:
- Students at Aalto University create 14 different chairs from blackened ash
- Aalto University wins award for new cotton recycling technique
- Look Like Love launches talent search for new designers
- Andrea Ponti launches side table inspired by Hong Kong street signs
