Opening on 12 June after extensive refurbishment by architects Wright & Wright, the Museum of the Home in Hoxton, east London, is ready to show off its makeover. The institution, which is located in a low-lying brick architecture complex of 300-year-old almshouses and lush architectural gardens, has been redesigned to bring contemporary elements to the historical buildings, proposing an exciting and informative experience for visitors of all ages.
But Wright & Wright's reimagining is not just about restoring what's already there. The new design creates 80 per cent more exhibition space and 50 per cent more public areas. A brand new entrance, opposite Hoxton rail station, and two garden pavilions are part of its much needed transformation. There is extended gallery space across three levels and a new Collections Library and Study Room.
‘In our scheme the consolidation of the historic building fabric and addition of distinguishably contemporary new elements has proved crucial to unlocking the project,' explain the architects. ‘Originally, the almshouses were designed as a collection of cellular residences, but over the years, walls and floors were removed or punched through to accommodate visitor circulation. Though this enabled the building to operate as a museum, it also had the effect of compromising its structural integrity.’ They add: ‘[Now, with] its careful reuse of resources and use of energy going forward, it is a genuinely sustainable solution.’
Wright & Wright’s architectural intervention ‘reflects a reframed curatorial approach’, say the institution's representatives. Their goal is for the Museum of the Home to appeal to a wider audience and offer more diversity in the domestic issues they address through their overall programme. Creating more immersive, accessible shows is at the core of the museum's new strategy. ‘As history persuasively shows, the idea of home is ever‐changing, and so are we,' conclude the architects.
The Museum of the Home is dedicated to exploring the meaning of home and the domestic through permanent collections, exhibitions, performances, discussions, and events.
INFORMATION
wrightandwright.co.uk
-
Javier's, a new cathedral-inspired restaurant in downtown LA, offers a divine take on Mexican cuisineAt the restaurant's newest location, discovery lies around every corner – and on every plate
-
We'd happily move into this super-stylish New York architecture officeMichael K Chen’s newly expanded Midtown workspace is a calling card for his intuitive style and inclusive approach
-
The Macbeth, an icon of indie sleaze, goes from grotty to gastroAn East End legend meets Portuguese small plates in Jamie Allan’s ambitious revival of a beloved Hackney watering hole
-
15 years of Assemble, the community-driven British architecture collectiveRich in information and visuals, 'Assemble: Building Collective' is a new book celebrating the Turner Prize-winning architecture collective, its community-driven hits and its challenges
-
Meet Studio Knight Stokoe, the landscape architects guided by ‘resilience, regeneration and empathy’Boutique and agile, Studio Knight Stokoe crafts elegant landscapes from its base in the southwest of England – including a revived brutalist garden
-
Tour this compact Kent coast jewel of a cabin with StudiomamaJack Mama and Nina Tolstrup take us on a tour of their latest project – a small but perfectly formed Kent coast cabin in Seasalter, UK
-
Boutique London rental development celebrates European courtyard livingLondon design and development studio Wendover unveils its newest residential project, 20 Newcourt Street, comprising nine apartments; we toured with co-founder Gabriel Chipperfield
-
A refreshed Fulham house balances its history with a series of 21st-century interventionsA Fulham house project by Bureau de Change creates a 21st-century domestic haven through a series of contemporary interventions and a deep connection to the property's historical fabric
-
The Monthly Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s favourite July housesFrom geometric Japanese cottages to restored modernist masterpieces, these are the best residential projects to have crossed the architecture desk this month
-
Visiting an experimental UK home: welcome to HousesteadThis experimental UK home, Housestead by Sanei + Hopkins, brings together architectural explorations and daily life in these architects’ own home
-
A house in Leamington Spa is a domestic oasis infused with contemporary sensibilitiesThis house in Leamington Spa, by John Pardey Architects, brings together flood risk considerations, a conservation area's historic character, and contemporary sensibilities
