West Berkshire Museum redevelopment takes next steps

Following a successful first round application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, West Berkshire Council has appointed Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams Ltd (BFAW) as architects for the Museum redevelopment project. They have extensive experience of historic buildings and museum projects.

Associate with Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams and Project Architect, Neal Charlton said: “We are really looking forward to working with the museum on this exciting project. The buildings of West Berkshire Museum are unique and sensitive; our biggest challenge will be to insert new design making it appropriate and exciting at the same time."

Also part of the project team will be Houghton Kneale Design Ltd (HKD). They will be responsible for the design of exhibition, display, interpretative and learning content.  

Kate Kneale, Director of HKD said: “We believe museums should be at the heart of a community so we are thrilled to be appointed to work with the museum team on this exciting project. The West Berkshire Museum, Newbury has everything you could wish for, wonderful buildings, stories to tell, an exciting architectural team, diverse collections and a creative museum team that has a clear vision.”

These appointments are a key milestone for the project and the work that the teams undertake throughout the rest of 2011 will be a major component in future funding applications.

Hilary Cole, West Berkshire Executive Councillor for Leisure and Culture said: “We are delighted to be working with Neal and Kate and their teams on this very exciting stage of the museum redevelopment project. I am sure they will produce some very innovative ideas for taking the museum forward.”

Subject to securing other external funding and acceptable design proposals, the redeveloped Museum could re-open to the public by early 2014.

Quoted from Administrator

West Berkshire Museum redevelopment takes next steps

Following a successful first round application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, West Berkshire Council has appointed Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams Ltd (BFAW) as architects for the Museum redevelopment project. They have extensive experience of historic buildings and museum projects.

What? Do you mean there are other architects around?

Quoted from Muddler

What? Do you mean there are other architects around?

I hope so, we don't really need any more timber cladded buildings especially the log cabin designed for Viccy Park

2014, wow I can hardly wait. Let's hope it doesn't overrun although there was a "Could " in the sentence.

I remember WBC saying it was going to have some glass atrium stuck on it....didn't one councillor say it would be our version of the Louvre?

I still think we should relocate the proposed pavilion to the side of the museum and connect the two. So much potential if that was to happen.

Quoted from richard.garvie

I still think we should relocate the proposed pavilion to the side of the museum and connect the two. So much potential if that was to happen.

The real problem with this seemingly sensible idea is funding.  The way the Lottery works is that regional grants (less than £1million) are far easier to come by than national grants (£1m+).   Both the Museum and the Pavilion plan on getting £999,999 grants from the SE regional fund - together they would be after a national grant and have far less chance of getting anything.

If they built the Pavilion as an extension to the Library this funding problem would not arise ...

Quoted from blackdog

If they built the Pavilion as an extension to the Library this funding problem would not arise ...

That sounds like a good idea! Put the pavilion on the bus park and connect it to the library. We don't get that many buses in town anyway, and they could use the Market Street bus station when Newbury/Reading buses desert the town.

Quoted from blackdog

If they built the Pavilion as an extension to the Library this funding problem would not arise ...

I could go for that.

Quoted from richard.garvie

I still think we should relocate the proposed pavilion to the side of the museum and connect the two. So much potential if that was to happen.

Another idea would be to make Shaw House the West Berks Museum and make the current museum into an arts centre. (pavilion)

Quoted from richard.garvie

I still think we should relocate the proposed pavilion to the side of the museum and connect the two. So much potential if that was to happen.

Sorry - car parks are apparently sacred in Newbury. Look at all the blame for the current retail woes heaped upon the loss of the Cheap St car park.....

Quoted from 78

Sorry - car parks are apparently sacred in Newbury. Look at all the blame for the current retail woes heaped upon the loss of the Cheap St car park.....

Retailers look upon car parks as vital assets, WBC look upon them as development sites.

Quoted from Archie

That sounds like a good idea! Put the pavilion on the bus park and connect it to the library. We don't get that many buses in town anyway, and they could use the Market Street bus station when Newbury/Reading buses desert the town.

The Market Street bus station is part of Newbury's next big development project - it won't be there for anyone to use.

Quoted from richard.garvie

I still think we should relocate the proposed pavilion to the side of the museum and connect the two. So much potential if that was to happen.

Sorry I'm missing something... Why do we need the pavilion at all?

Quoted from skyfairy

Sorry I'm missing something... Why do we need the pavilion at all?

THE GRIFFALO

A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood.
A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good.
Where are you going to, little brown mouse?
Come and have lunch in my Park Way house."
"It's terribly kind of you, Fox, but no – ‍I'm going to have lunch with a griffalo."
"A griffalo? What's a griffalo?"
"A griffalo! Why, didn't you know?
He has terrible tusks, and timber-clad claws,
And brushed-steel teeth in his terrible jaws."
"Where are you meeting him?"
"Here, by the locks"
And his favourite food is roasted fox."
"Roasted fox! I'm off!" Fox said.
"Goodbye, little mouse," and away he sped.

"Silly old Fox! Doesn't he know,
There's no such thing as a griffalo?"
On went the mouse through the deep dark wood.
An owl saw the mouse, and the mouse looked good.
"Where are you going to, little brown mouse?
Come and have tea in my little townhouse."
"It's frightfully nice of you, Owl, but no – ‍I'm going to have tea with a griffalo."
"A griffalo? What's a griffalo?"
"A griffalo! Why, didn't you know?
He's got fingers in pies and likes CPOs,
And he designed the local Waitrose."
"Where are you meeting him?"
"Here, by this stream,
And his favourite food is owl ice cream."
"Owl ice cream? Too-whit! Too-whoo!"
"Goodbye, little mouse," and away Owl flew.
"Silly old Owl! Doesn't he know, there's no such thing as a griffalo?"

On went the mouse through the deep dark wood.
A snake saw the mouse, and the mouse looked good.
"Where are you going to, little brown mouse?
Come for a feast in my log-pile house."
"It's wonderfully good of you, snake, but no – ‍I'm having a feast with a griffalo."
"A griffalo? What's a griffalo?"
"A griffalo! Why, didn't you know?
His eyes are orange, he's fond of the arts; he extended Camp Hopson and built St Barts."
"Where are you meeting him?"
"Here, by this lake, And his favourite food is scrambled snake."
"Scrambled snake? It's time I hid!"
"Goodbye, little mouse," and away Snake slid.
"Silly old Snake! Doesn't he know,
There's no such thing as a griffal....OH!"

But who is this creature with mezzanine floors
And terrible plans in his terrible drawers?
With fingers in pies, and likes CPOs,
He even built us a new Waitrose.
His eyes are orange, he's fond of the arts
He extended Camp Hopson and rebuilt St Barts
"Oh help! Oh no!
It's a griffalo!"
"My favourite food!" the Griffalo said.
"You'll taste good on a slice of bread!"
"Good?" said the mouse. "Don't call me good!
I'm the scariest creature in this wood.
Just walk behind me and soon you'll see,
Everyone is afraid of me."
"All right!," said the Griffalo, counting his millions.
"You go ahead I'm building a pavilion."

Very good Muddler spot on.

If the few who run Newbury want something then what ever protest is made by how many makes no difference, Newbury gets it!  

Quoted from Administrator

[b]

Hilary Cole, West Berkshire Executive Councillor for Leisure and Culture said: “We are delighted to be working with Neal and Kate and their teams on this very exciting stage of the museum redevelopment project. I am sure they will produce some very innovative ideas for taking the museum forward.”

Subject to securing other external funding and acceptable design proposals, the redeveloped Museum could re-open to the public by early 2014.

Sounds like they have been accepted into the inner circle. First name terms with Hilary no less. I wonder how much of the first million pound grant will end up in their bank accounts.

Good news about the opening date 2014 but only then if they get more funding. I can't wait. In the meantime, the museum is closed and even the archives are closed. WBC are good at closing things that belong to us. Market Street while the cinema (a commercial venture) was being built, Parkway bridge, for ever but currently because the developer ( a commercial venture) wants it closed.

Quoted from Muddler

THE GRIFFALO

A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood.
A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good.
Where are you going to, little brown mouse?
Come and have lunch in my Park Way house."
"It's terribly kind of you, Fox, but no – ‍I'm going to have lunch with a griffalo."
"A griffalo? What's a griffalo?"
"A griffalo! Why, didn't you know?
He has terrible tusks, and timber-clad claws,
And brushed-steel teeth in his terrible jaws."
"Where are you meeting him?"
"Here, by the locks"
And his favourite food is roasted fox."
"Roasted fox! I'm off!" Fox said.
"Goodbye, little mouse," and away he sped.

"Silly old Fox! Doesn't he know,
There's no such thing as a griffalo?"
On went the mouse through the deep dark wood.
An owl saw the mouse, and the mouse looked good.
"Where are you going to, little brown mouse?
Come and have tea in my little townhouse."
"It's frightfully nice of you, Owl, but no – ‍I'm going to have tea with a griffalo."
"A griffalo? What's a griffalo?"
"A griffalo! Why, didn't you know?
He's got fingers in pies and likes CPOs,
And he designed the local Waitrose."
"Where are you meeting him?"
"Here, by this stream,
And his favourite food is owl ice cream."
"Owl ice cream? Too-whit! Too-whoo!"
"Goodbye, little mouse," and away Owl flew.
"Silly old Owl! Doesn't he know, there's no such thing as a griffalo?"

On went the mouse through the deep dark wood.
A snake saw the mouse, and the mouse looked good.
"Where are you going to, little brown mouse?
Come for a feast in my log-pile house."
"It's wonderfully good of you, snake, but no – ‍I'm having a feast with a griffalo."
"A griffalo? What's a griffalo?"
"A griffalo! Why, didn't you know?
His eyes are orange, he's fond of the arts; he extended Camp Hopson and built St Barts."
"Where are you meeting him?"
"Here, by this lake, And his favourite food is scrambled snake."
"Scrambled snake? It's time I hid!"
"Goodbye, little mouse," and away Snake slid.
"Silly old Snake! Doesn't he know,
There's no such thing as a griffal....OH!"

But who is this creature with mezzanine floors
And terrible plans in his terrible drawers?
With fingers in pies, and likes CPOs,
He even built us a new Waitrose.
His eyes are orange, he's fond of the arts
He extended Camp Hopson and rebuilt St Barts
"Oh help! Oh no!
It's a griffalo!"
"My favourite food!" the Griffalo said.
"You'll taste good on a slice of bread!"
"Good?" said the mouse. "Don't call me good!
I'm the scariest creature in this wood.
Just walk behind me and soon you'll see,
Everyone is afraid of me."
"All right!," said the Griffalo, counting his millions.
"You go ahead I'm building a pavilion."

Ha! I love it, thank you for that