St Albans Museum & Gallery

• The challenge:

  Spanning three floors, the £7.75m refurbishment has seen the ground floor’s entrance halls turned into a reception area and exhibition space. The former Victorian courtroom has been fully restored and on the first floor, the assembly rooms have been refurbished ready for events including heritage and art exhibition.

  A new temperature-controlled and secure lower ground-floor gallery has been created under the building for national exhibition and art shows. The ground floor has also been renovated to accommodate a learning studio, new visitor information point, gift shop and café.

• Project summary:

  • Design and installation of all M&E services, including specialist lighting, underfloor heating, boiler plants, ventilation, air conditioning and advanced security systems
  • Close liaison with architectural, planning and heritage consultants, including Historic England, to ensure the M&E services were appropriately designed for the listed building 
  • All services, including large ventilation ductwork, concealed throughout the building to minimise visual impact and protect the building’s fabric
  • Building services designed to meet the demands of future exhibitors such as the V&A and Hayward Gallery, including temperature and humidity control
  • Annual energy savings of 19,500 kWH

Client:

• Willmott Dixon

Main Contractor:

• Willmott Dixon

Architect:

• John McAslan + Partners

Value:

• £1.1m

Services:

• Mechanical and Electrical