Moco Museum

Key aspects of the project

It goes without saying that the aesthetic was key to Moco, building on the resounding success of its previous two locations, the London museum has been designed to elevate the existing building and significantly contribute to the local area.

Architectural designs were a collaboration between Archer Humphreys Architects and Moco Museum itself. With the interior space being moulded to the traditional look and feel of the existing Marble Arch building, whilst still exemplifying the renowned Moco brand. It was our task to execute these designs in time and on budget, with time being the prominent factor through the course of the works.

The client requested that the internal linking staircase act as a tie through the exhibition, providing visitors with a seamless transition throughout the space. While working within specific time and budget parameters, we successfully delivered the architectural focal point. Designed as a spiral, the staircase, crafted from steel and finished with high-quality timber treads, perfectly embodies the spirit of Moco, creating a functional and aesthetically pleasing transition between levels.

One design consideration that required further refinement was the thickness of the partition walls. Originally designed at a standard size, we recognised the need to make the walls thicker to convey a sense of permanence and substance. This was a deliberate decision on Moco’s part, adjusting the wall thickness aligned with their commitment to establish a lasting and impactful space.

Continuing with structural considerations, the weight of the art on the floor as well as walls and ceilings also had to be taken into account. A bespoke design of structural works had to be employed to accommodate certain works of art – brackets were incorporated into ceilings to support hanging art, and ‘heavy spots’ were installed to support different weight on the floor. These features were designed with longevity in mind, allowing art to be swapped and changed around in the future, not restricting the exhibition to its current state.

Challenges

One of the key elements to this project was the programme, we needed to reach project completion during the summer months to ensure the museum would be open to welcome the influx of visitors brought to the city due to school holidays and summer tourism. With a slightly later start date than intended, this was a factor in almost every decision made throughout the project.

Noisy work constraints were also a cause for concern. Originally agreed that we could carry out works as necessary, the landlord expressed concerns during the course of the project and so we had to renegotiate the timings of when noisy works could be carried out, adding further delay to the programme. However, we were able to establish a schedule that accommodated the landlord and building tenants whilst allowing the team to carry out the necessary works.

Due to this period of negotiation, along with some knock-on effects surrounding sprinkler delays, the programme was pushed back, with completion not being due until the beginning of September, a time period that did not suit our clients needs of a summer opening. And so we embarked upon an accelerated programme.

With effective site management and longer working hours, the team worked to bring the September date forward by a month, achieving project completion at the beginning of August.

Collaboration

The entire project operated on a very collaborative basis. We worked very closely with the client to deliver to their expectations on time, they were very much hands on with the project which led to a great working relationship.

We understood their requirements and appreciated that the programme required a summer completion and so we made this an absolute priority, as did the whole of the professional team involved. Cohesive working throughout, good communication and pride in delivering quality ensured all-round success.

The result

The result? A project delivered successfully on an accelerated programme that, despite a late start, completed earlier than anticipated, resulting in a very happy client and an exceptional space that perfectly frames the artwork and epitomises the Moco brand and everything they stand for.