Carmody Groarke were recently announced as the winners of the RIBA competition to redevelop the Windermere Steamboat Museum in the Lake District National Park. Earlier this year, the Lakeland Arts Trust secured initial support for a £7.4m Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid*, including £494,000 development funding, to take the project forward. The project aims to create an exciting and active museum which will use the lake and the stunning lakeside setting to display the nationally significant collection of steam launches, motor boats, yachts and other vessels which are all associated with Windermere. More images and project description after the break.
Carmody Groarke were selected from a very strong shortlist which also included (in alphabetical order): Adam Khan Architects; Niall McLaughlin Architects; Terry Pawson Architects; Reiach and Hall Architects; 6a Architects; Sutherland Hussey Architects and Witherford Watson Mann Architects. The Jury Panel included representatives from the Lakeland Arts Trust, together with Stuart McKnight (McInnes Usher McKnight Architects) acting as the RIBA Architect Adviser, Roger Tempest (Rural Conceps Group), Kim Wilkie (Kim Wilkie Associates), and Ellis Woodman (Editor, Building Design Magazine).
The Panel felt that Carmody Groarke had produced a memorable and sensitive set of design proposals which demonstrated an excellent understanding of the multi-faceted nature of the Brief and the Trust’s requirements. The conflicting demands of providing a functional museum to house, display and conserve the historic boat collection within a facility that will create a high quality visitor experience and have broad audience appeal to encourage repeat visits had been addressed particularly well. The simple forms of the cantilevered buildings were considered to resonate well with the heritage of the site, as well as the Lakeland landscape and steamboat architecture.
