London, United Kingdom
Article by Sharon McHugh
Envisioning a verdant oasis at the UK’s most visited attraction, Studio Weave has been selected to design new welcome pavilions and a revamped forecourt at the British Museum’s central London site.
The design, chosen from among five shortlisted in a competition, stood out to Museum leadership for its innovative yet sensitive approach to resolving complex issues at the site while preserving the appearance of its iconic, Grade 1 listed building.
The project aims to create an unparalleled welcome experience for the 6.2 million visitor’s that come through the Museum’s doors each year, making it the most visited attraction in the UK.
Studio Weave’s design will create more an environment than a building, a task well-suited to a practice that has that has designed many successful public facing projects, including a pop-up space at Somerset House in Westminster dubbed, “London’s Largest Living Room;” The Bank Junction Public Realm, which brings improvements to the oldest and busiest interchange in the city, and the redesign of the Jubilee Gardens which proposes a pocket garden atop an active power station.
For the Welcome Pavilion project, Je Ahn, Studio Weave’s Founder, says his team approached it a user interface project rather than an architectural one.
“We didn’t want this to become a building”.
The design envisions modestly scaled pavilions, on the order of 15 meters by 15 meters, set in revamped landscapes at the Museum’s north and south entrances.
The landscapes will have soft plantings and be dotted with engaging installations that will spark curiosity and make for a memorable visit.
The project is intended as a temporary solution to bring immediate improvement the public realm.
A more permanent design for the space will by sought at a later date, after the completion of the Western Range project, which will see the renovation of a third of the museum’s gallery spaces, and the city’s decision to possibly pedestrianize Great Russell Street, the main thoroughfare fronting the Museum.
Alex Surguladze, Head of Design Management for the Museum, described the vision they were aiming for as a great “Garden room with English sensibilities.”
In choosing Studio Weave to lead the project, Surguladze says, “From the very beginning we were struck by their approach to working with the Museum. They were strong on how they’d engage the community.”
“Our team wanted to celebrate the British Museum as both a global and a local museum, and create an internationally exemplary space that will improve the experience of Great Russell Street and Montague Place for everybody,” said Je Ahn, Studio Weave’s Founding Director and long time Londoner.
In the coming months, Studio Weave will work with its team of Wright and Wright Architects, Webb Yates Engineers, Tom Massey Studio, and Daisy Froud to finalize the design.
The Welcome Pavilion project is one of many in a multi-phase, masterplanning effort currently underway that will extend the Museum’s operations to two locations, make its facilities more sustainable, and ensure its collections are housed in twenty-first century spaces.
The sheer scope of the project makes it “One of the most significant cultural redevelopment projects ever undertaken” states the Museum.
A spring 2026 completion is anticipated.
Project: British Museum Entrance Experience and Forecourt
Architects: Studio Weave
Lead Architect: Je Ahn
Heritage Architect: Wright&Wright Architects
Landscape Architect: Tom Massey Studio
Consultant Engineer: Webb Yates
Head of Design Management (British Museum): Alex Surguladze
Client: The British Museum
Photographs: Courtesy of Studio Weave
