Swindon's new landmark museum and art gallery
Courtesy: Make Architects
Make Architects are designing a new structure to house Swindon's museum and nationally significant collection of British 20th century art. Works include those by Lucian Freud, Henry Moore, L S Lowry and Graham Sutherland. It is hoped that a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund will be awarded towards the £22 million project.
The brief is to create a landmark destination that will form the centrepiece of the town's new cultural quarter. The idea is to attract visitors to Swindon from the wider region and beyond and the building will become a source of pride for local residents and businesses. Learning centres, event spaces, cafe and dining areas and a viewing gallery will sit along side four flexible gallery spaces and an interactive science facility.
The founder of Make Architects, Ken Shuttleworth, who lives in Wiltshire, said ' We envisage a world-class building that will become an artefact in itself, an object that symbolises Swindon's past, present and future ...a fantastic opportunity to create a beautiful cultural destination in the heart of Swindon that safeguards, enhances and celebrates the area's collections, and creates new and exciting public realm'.
Swindon Borough Council has already pledged £5 million towards the project to breathe new life into the town centre. Andy Evans, Corporate Director of Economy, Regeneration and Skills, will be joining Future Cities Forum on the 13th June to discuss the impact of the planned museum quarter and how it links to other areas of regeneration.