Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), a multidisciplinary firm specialising in the planning and design of museums, exhibits, educational environments and visitor attractions, has celebrated a number of major awards wins.
The MUSE Design Awards were created by the International Awards Associate (IAA) in 2015 as an international competition to celebrate designers whose craftsmanship shifts paradigms in their relevant industries.
The 2021 Awards consisted of ten categories, including architecture, interiors, landscape and conceptual design. Other popular categories not related to themed entertainment include fashion and transportation.
Four award winners
RAA won four MUSE Design awards during the 2022 season, for projects in a range of environment types and locations.
RAA worked with premium coffee brand Lavazza to design a new flagship store for the company in central London. Located just off Regent Street and ideally located near the Oxford Circus underground station, the new venue received the Gold award for its Interiors work in the bars & restaurants subcategory.
This year’s award follows the company’s recognition for its work on the Lavazza Casa 1895 museum experience, found at the brand’s state-of-the-art factory last year.
Museum accolades
The firm also received three awards for its work with museums in Germany, the UK and the US.
RAA designed new galleries for Imperial War Museum (IWM) in London, as part of a six-year project for the firm. The Second World War exhibitions bring unseen objects, untold stories and unheard voices to the fore through the dynamic use of space.
Visitors rediscover the narrative of the event through six galleries, each based on a thematic question: How did the Second World War begin? How did war spread across Europe? What did war mean for Britain? How did the war turn global? How was the war won and lost? and How did the war change the world?.
The exhibition received Gold in the Exhibits, Pavilions & Exhibitions subcategory. RAA’s work on the IWM’s Holocaust and Second World War Galleries also won it a place on this year’s Museum and Heritage Awards shortlist.
RAA was also involved in the design of the Allison and Roberto Mignone Hall of Gems and Minerals at the American Museum of Natural History.
The space (featured top) is a MUSE Gold award winner in the Exhibits, Pavilions & Exhibitions subcategory, using state-of-the-art lighting to draw out mineral colours and sculptural forms in the renovated hall.
The firm won Silver in the same subcategory for its work with The Humboldt Form State Ethnology Museum and Museum of Asian Art, at Berlin’s Humboldt Forum.
RAA’s latest awards join a number of MUSE Design awards in recent years, including its work for the Resort Style Private Residence by the Mountain in 2021 and the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) in 2020 which both gained Platinum Awards.
RAA recently provided details of The World of Stonehenge exhibition, its latest installation for The British Museum in London, UK.
