Hadid and MUMA on shortlist for Museum of London extension

Zaha Hadid has been named on an impressive six-strong shortlist in the competition to oversee the revamp and extension of the Museum of London’s Roman gallery

The two-time winner of the Stirling Prize joins John McAslan + Partners, Allies and Morrison, Rick Mather Architects, Pringle Richards Sharratt and MUMA in the battle for the £4.5 million project.

The museum launched the contest in July to find a team to mastermind the refurbishment of 900m2 of existing gallery space and design a 200m2 extension to Powell & Moya’s 1976 design.

Because of the museum’s location at the edge of the Barbican Centre by London Wall, the new addition will have to be built round the remnants of the ruined Roman city wall.

According to Julian Ayre, the museum’s head of capital projects, the finalists had been chosen from a ‘very strong field of applicants’. A winner is expected to be announced before the end of the year.

Last year, Wilkinson Eyre completed a £20 million overhaul of the museum – the biggest since it opened – that increased gallery space by 25 per cent.

© Architect's Journal 2011
Photo: RIBA Photo Library