National Railway Museum Central Hall Design Competition

The National Railway Museum Central Hall Design Competition is a two-stage competition to design the museum’s new centrepiece building.

The museum, part of the Science Museum Group, is poised to become the cultural anchor for York Central, one of the largest city centre brownfield regeneration projects in the UK. York Central will re-route a major road that currently bisects the museum’s site, separating two of its main galleries, Great Hall and Station Hall. The new Central Hall, a circa 4,500 sqm building with a £16.5 million construction budget, will bridge the space between these two exhibition halls. The new addition is intended to create an appealing and compelling arrival experience and improve legibility and connectivity across the wider site.

The new building will include reception spaces, as well as a spectacular 1,000 sqm gallery intended to showcase future acquisitions and innovative technology and introduce the museum’s world-class collection. Shortlisted teams will also be able to propose some enhancements to the adjoining museum buildings; this additional work (no more than £10m construction budget) being contingent on the post-competition concept design (RIBA Work Stage 2).

This two-stage competition is open to both national and international integrated design teams that include architects and structural, civil and services engineers (please note: exhibition design is not in scope). Internationally-based competitors may be required to propose a UK-based executive architect as part of their team at stage two.

To enter the competition, teams will need to read the Search Statement (available to download from the competition website), fill out the online form and upload documents detailing their company information, proposed team composition and relevant experience. No design is required at the first stage.

At the second stage at least five teams will be shortlisted; each will receive an honorarium of £30,000 for their submissions once the competition concludes with the selection of the winner.

The winner is expected to be announced in March 2020.

https://competitions.malcolmreading.com/railwaymuseum