Zaha Hadid Architects - Riverside Museum, Glascow, Scotland, UK

Features

Zaha Hadid Architects
Riverside Museum
Glascow, Scotland, UK

The museum positions itself symbolically and functionally as open and fluid, engaging its context and content to ensure it is profoundly interlinked with not only Glasgow’s history, but also its future.

Photo © McAteer Photograph/Alan McAteer

The historic development of the Clyde and the city of Glasgow is a unique legacy. Located where the Kelvin joins the Clyde, the museum’s design flows from the city to the river; symbolizing a dynamic relationship where the museum is the voice of both, connecting the city to the river and also the transition from one to the other.

Hawkeye Aerial Photography

The museum houses more than 3,000 exhibits, in over 150 interactive displays telling the stories of the people who made the term “Clyde Built” one which travelled the world and spoke volumes about unbeatable quality.

The Tall Ship Glenlee is moored in front of the museum’s south facade, bringing her together, for the very first time, with the city’s unrivalled ship model collection. The Glenlee is one of only five “Clyde Built” sailing vessels afloat in the world today and the only one in the UK.

Hawkeye Aerial Photography

The building, open at opposite ends, has a tunnel-like configuration between the city and the Clyde. However, within this connection between the city and river, the building diverts to create a journey away from its external context into the world of the exhibits.

Photo © Hufton + Crow

Photo © McAteer Photograph/Alan McAteer

Visitors build up a gradual sense of the external context as they move through the museum from exhibit to exhibit. The design is a sectional extrusion, open at opposing ends along a diverted linear path. This cross-sectional outline could be seen as a cityscape and is a responsive gesture to encapsulate waves on water.

Photo © Hufton + Crow

Photo © McAteer Photograph/Alan McAteer

The outer waves or “pleats” are enclosed to accommodate support services and the “black box” exhibits. This leaves the main central space column-free and open, offering greatest flexibility to exhibit the museum’s world-class collection.

Photo © McAteer Photograph/Alan McAteer

The main contractors, BAM, described the building of the massive, 2,500 tons steel roof, without any internal supporting columns, as the most challenging engineering feat in the UK today.

Photo © Hufton + Crow

The form of the roof structure is roughly z-shaped in plan with structural mullions at each end that not only support the roof, but also allow the glazed end facades to be supported without the need for any secondary members. In section the roof is a series of continuous ridges and valleys that constantly vary in height and width from one gable to the other with no two lines of rafters being geometrically the same.

“The history of Glasgow is profoundly interlinked with the history of the Clyde, and together they have informed the museum’s design. I wanted the building to reflect the importance of its location and allow for the innovative and inspirational display of its outstanding collection. The fluid design continues Glasgow’s rich engineering traditions; a true demonstration and celebration of the skills and passion of local engineers and contractors who helped to bring this building to life.”
Zaha Hadid

Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects
Site Plan

Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects
Ground Floor Plan

Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects
Roof Plan

Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects
Section

Image courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects
Presentation Diagram

Model photo courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects

Site area: 22,400 square meters
Footprint area 7,800 square meters
Gross floor area: 11,300 square meters
Exhibition area: 6,600 square meters

Completed: 2011

Client: Glasgow City Council/Glasgow Life
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Project Director: Jim Heverin
Project Architect: Johannes Hoffmann
Structural Engineer: Buro Happold
MEP Engineer: Buro Happold
Acoustics: Buro Happold
Fire Safety: FEDRA
Project Management: Capita Symonds
Main Contractor: BAM Construction Ltd.
Landscape: Gross Max

Riverside Museum

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June 13, 2011