The Burrell Collection | John McAslan + Partners

The Design 

A discrete entrance has been added to the east of the retained existing entrance accessed from an adjoining paved piazza that creates an enhanced natural setting where visitors can also relax or picnic or spill out from the café at its southeast corner.

Adjoining the entrance sequence, a new orientation volume connects the museum levels up to the mezzanine galleries and down by a stepped seating arrangement to the newly opened-up garden-level floor below. The latter now accommodates an exhibition and events gallery connected to a viewable art storage space, workshops, the rejuvenated café and parkland beyond.

John McAslan + Partners designed the landscape for The Burrell. This was led by Andy Harris, Head of John McAslan + Partners’ Landscape and Urban Design Studio. 

Back in the galleries, visitors will encounter the collection that is now curated thematically and using immersive narrative as the guiding vision for the Collection’s museography.  In total, an additional 35 per cent of the gallery space has now been added from the previous arrangement and with the great majority of the collection on site for accessible storage and to assist with its rotation.

Reuse

The project is a strong example of John McAslan + Partners’ interest in reuse and, especially, in working with significant 20th century buildings. The Burrell has been adapted and refurbished focusing on a ‘Fabric First’ approach, maximising the benefits of improving the building’s existing built fabric. Within this approach, for instance, the re-use of existing aluminium glazing frames has saved over 8.5 tonnes of new aluminium from being added to the building which in turn saved 100 tonnes of carbon emissions associated with new aluminium production. These significant carbon footprint reductions are the result of collaborative design between John McAslan + Partners, environmental designers and building services engineers Atelier Ten and façade consultant Arup.

The renewed Burrell Collection has achieved a BREEAM rating of Excellent putting the museum in the top 10 per cent of energy efficient buildings in the UK, a significant achievement for the refurbishment and conservation of a Category-A listed building.

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About The Burrell Collection

The Burrell Collection is a major cultural asset for the City of Glasgow and the nation and is of international significance. The museum and its Collection, which numbers almost 9,000 items, is managed by Glasgow Life on behalf of Glasgow City Council. It has a rich and varied scope, ranging from ancient prehistoric artefacts to ground-breaking works by Impressionists such as Manet and Degas. Its strengths lie in late medieval art, Chinese ceramics, bronzes and jades, Islamic pile carpets and French nineteenth-century paintings.

The Collection, which reflects Sir William Burrell’s lifelong passion for art and history, was donated to the City of Glasgow by Sir William and Constance, Lady Burrell. The decision to give the Collection to Sir William’s home city in 1944 has been described as one of the greatest gifts a city has ever received. With responsibility to care for the Collection and deliver on the terms of the Deed of Gift, Glasgow Life must also ensure it is accessible to the people of Glasgow and visitors to the city.

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The Burrell – Architecture: 

John McAslan
Paul East – Project Lead
Chris Ravenscroft
Heather Macey
Katherine Watts
Tom Roberts
Paddy Pugh
Hannah Lawson

The Burrell – Landscape Design

Andy Harris – Project Lead
Celia Guerreiro
Kit Bullas
Kevin Simpson

Architect
John McAslan + Partners

Landscape Architect
John McAslan + Partners

Structural Engineer
David Narro Associates

Services / Fire Engineer / BREEAM
Atelier 10

Façade  Consultant
Arup

Cost Consultant
Gardiner & Theobald

Project Manager
Gardiner & Theobald

Main Contractor
Kier

Planning Consultant
John McAslan + Partners

Acoustic Consultant
Sandy Brown Acoustics

Access Consultant
David Bonnett Associates

Exhibition Designer
Event Communication

Catering Consultant
Jo Headland

Retail Consultant
Seeking State

Wayfinding / Signage Designers
Studio LR