The Burrell Collection

The Burrell Collection is one of Europe’s finest museums, housing over 9,000 works of art in one of the very few Category-A listed post-war Scottish buildings. Designed by Barry Gasson, Brit Andresen and John Meunier, The Burrell opened to widespread acclaim in 1983, however in recent years the building had become unfit for purpose, with water ingress, low levels of insultation, poor energy performance, issues with accessibility and lack of flexibility, which was reflected in dwindling visitor numbers. The condition of the building meant that in order to keep the collection with the building it was of primary significance for intervention to occur. John McAslan + Partners (JMP) led a five-year £68m renovation project, which revitalised the museum without sacrificing its original character. After extensive consultation the team defined three key objectives: repair failing fabric and improve environmental performance; adapt the interior to meet contemporary visitor needs; and improve connections to the surrounding Pollok Country Park. Addressing issues with the original entrance, the new scheme added a more accessible welcoming additional entrance to its east, accessed through a piazza where visitors can relax. Internally, key areas were opened up, improving horizontal and vertical movement and creating additional 35% of display space, allowing much greater access to the collection. A redundant lecture theatre was replaced with a triple-height central orientation hub, with stairs connecting the mezzanine galleries to the new viewable art stores, exhibition spaces and parkland on the lower floor. The additional capacity also supports a new thematic curatorial approach, in which multimedia displays give historic context to artworks. The landscape design looked to enhance the original design’s intersection with the woodland, through providing new spaces for socialising and relaxation, including a café terrace and amphitheatre, whilst also greatly improving accessibility and legibility. Significant consultation with a range of key stakeholders was undertaken, including with Heritage Environment Scotland, GCC Conservation Team, and the original architect Barry Gasson. Working with the GCC, JMP engaged with local schools and community groups to increase awareness of the building and its collection, and to develop a more inclusive and relevant outreach strategy. In the quest to create the ‘world’s most accessible museum,’ consultation with representatives of sensory impaired and autistic spectrum disorders groups were held throughout the design stages to ensure the project meet all accessibility needs. The renewed Burrell Collection achieved BREEAM Excellent, putting the museum in the top 10% of energy efficient buildings in the UK, a significant achievement for a Category-A listed building. Through collaborative design with Atelier Ten and Arup, the Burrell has been adapted focusing on a ‘Fabric First’ approach, which will save over 600 tonnes of CO2 per annum by improving weathertightness, reduced energy demand and better environmental controls. A majority of existing materials were recycled or reused, including reuse of aluminium glazing frames which saved over 8.5 tonnes of aluminium. Opened in March 2022, The Burrell whilst outwardly unchanged, has been restored and retuned to the highest standards throughout, the twentieth-century masterpiece now fit for the twenty-first.