This wing to the UK’s National Museum of Science and Industry is devoted to contemporary science and technology. The paradox of the design was to create a space that is flexible and encourages creativity and innovation, while at the same time operationally efficient and maintainable.
The 110,000 sq.ft. of exhibition floors float in a deep immersive blue space, the brainchild of architect Sir Richard MacCormac. In the early design stage he invited me to join his team, which has turned out to be the start of a long lasting collaboration and a synthesis of architecture and light.
The Big Blue Space reflects the marvel and excitement of the sciences, and creates a dramatic setting, a theatrical experience in which the building is the main character. The deep blue interior, that Richard and I created using theatre gels, a custom designed light fitting and frames with tensioned scrims that float in front of the walls, is the perfect backdrop for the innovative topics address by the exhibitions on the “trays” that form the floors. The whole space evokes a sense of mystery, hinting at the infinite possibilities of science.
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