The Competition
In 2008 the practice was shortlisted for a major expansion to the Royal Academy, which involved redesigning a building at the rear of the site, fronting onto Burlington Gardens. The brief included new exhibition spaces and a cafe.
For the existing entrance on Burlington Gardens we came up with a solution that maintained the historic fabric where possible but which at the same time allowed for a large, open public entrance-way to the newly developed site. We also considered how best to maintain existing historic features inside the building whilst livening these up to create a contemporary and a welcoming feel.
Designs for the rooftop cafe enjoyed views onto the back of the existing Royal Academy buildings. Great care was given to creating a happy blend of the historic and the new, creating a destination cafe of comfort and quality.