British Museum Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World Renovation

HOK provided conservation and heritage design for the renovation of the British Museum’s Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World.

The British Museum’s world-class collection of Islamic material includes fine pieces of art alongside objects from daily life such as modern games and musical instruments. The collection includes archaeology, decorative arts, textiles and contemporary art.

The creation of the Albukhary Foundation Gallery in two historic, 19th-century spaces provides opportunities to display these objects in new ways that tell the universal story of Islam in a global context.

HOK led the first phase to reinstate the original gallery space, including repairs to the Grade 1 listed fabric and conservation of the existing historic details. The team worked with Stanton Williams Architects, which led the new gallery fitout, and the British Museum Capital Projects team to coordinate the gallery design—including taking advantage of natural light while preventing direct sunlight from harming the collection.

Careful planning ensured that the museum’s day-to-day operations would not be compromised during construction.

To support the Camden Council’s requirements for the Museum to reduce the building’s carbon footprint by 30 percent, the design introduced thick, high-performance roof insulation where previously there had been none.