BECK, a leading restoration and refurbishment fit-out specialist, is celebrating the reopening of The Burrell Collection last month. The gallery, located in Glasgow, Scotland, was closed for six years while a £68 million refurbishment project was underway. BECK was appointed in August 2018 as the lead fit-out contractor, delivering 36 new galleries over three phases. The refurbishment has increased the size of the museum by 35%.
The company designed an innovative, modular, flexible system of setworks in order to to achieve the museum’s objectives. The setworks and displays can also be uninstalled and rebuilt in new configurations in the future, adapting to the museum’s preferred configurations. This helps to futureproof the project, allowing the collection to be reorganised a limitless number of times.
Working closely with Glasgow Life Conservation, the team took the design intent reflected in the tender drawings and developed the unique display component systems with fully compatible, bespoke fabricated, modular parts. Following fabrication, these solutions were then installed across the galleries, ready to present the collections to the public once more.
The collection
The collection consists of nearly 9000 objects and was gifted to the city of Glasgow in 1944 by Sir William Burrell & his wife Lady Constance. It spans 50 countries and 6000 years of history, from 4000 BC to the turn of the 20th century. When he bequeathed the collection, Burrell stipulated that it must remain housed in one building.
In 2013, The Burrell Collection was listed as a building of special architectural and historical interest by Historic Scotland. The Category A listed building has importance both nationally and internationally. However, in recent years, deteriorating environmental conditions had an impact on the housing of the collection and visitor numbers began to drop.
The extensive redesign of the building was influenced by a public consultation with 15,000 Glaswegians. Now, greater space and improved energy efficiency, alongside new digital and interactive displays enhance the visitor experience. Many objects from the collection which have never been on permanent display, or which had been in storage for decades, are now displayed to the public.
BECK, a UK-based company that was founded in 1994, is behind some of the world’s most iconic interior fit-out projects. With offices around the globe, it provides an award-winning and comprehensive turnkey service, regardless of location.
