Latest news with #Ghotmeh
The National
10-03-2025
- Business
- The National
Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh's bold plans for the British Museum's Western Range
Last month, the British Museum announced Lebanese firm Lina Ghotmeh Architecture as the winner of a competition to redesign its Western Range galleries. Dedicated to ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome, Assyria and the Middle East, with a collection spanning thousands of years, the group of buildings encompass about one third of the entire museum. More than 60 teams applied for the chance to renovate the Western Range when the international competition was launched in May last year. Led by the multi award-winning architect Lina Ghotmeh, the Paris-based LGA, – behind projects such as Beirut's Stone Garden, France's Atelier Hermes in Normandy and the 2023 Serpentine Pavilion in London – was chosen for their winning concept by the jury, who said its proposal showed "a deep understanding and sensitivity towards the museum, the complexity of collections' display and artefacts' interactions with diverse visitor groups." The team also includes Lebanese artist Ali Cherri, whose contemporary works often merge with real ancient artefacts. They will be working alongside companies including Purcell, Arup – MEP, Holmes Studio, Wayfinding and Plan A. 'It's a feeling of sharing, of collective joy and an expression of deep humanity that arises from the connections and emotions these moments evoke," Ghotmeh tells The National. "It's both beautiful and soothing to see our efforts come to fruition and contribute to advancing our societies. "It's also a feeling of responsibility – the responsibility to bring our visions to life and continue this path of striving for quality and beauty." Ghotmeh says she and her team are thrilled for the renovation, to see "the possibilities of what a 21st century museum could be". 'For me, each project is a historical, material and creative journey – like an archaeology of the future," she says. 'It's about finding ways to engage with it, creating dialogue and turning spaces into vessels. This is an opportunity to create an extraordinary place that inspires a deep connection with the world.' Ghotmeh's archaeological approach to design is reflected in her vision for the new Western Range. The plan resembles a live dig, where some of the artefacts are displayed across an open courtyard in gravel-covered grid squares. Sustainability and the use of natural materials are also major parts of her practice, echoed here in the pale beige stone making up most of the design. The colour palette of the space is all soft neutrals, working harmoniously with the light-filled space, but not distracting from the artefacts on display. The original design – created by English architect Sir Robert Smirke in the 1820s in the then-popular Greek Revival style – was built to accommodate 100,000 visitors a year and house a collection of about 150,000 objects. Today, the museum welcomes more than six million people annually, and holds a staggering collection of more than eight million treasures. With this in mind, Ghotmeh has been charged with creating an architectural transformation able to fully display the collection in new, visitor-centric ways, as well as make new spaces for collection stores and research centres. The original Western Range consists of 10 separate buildings, added to the main museum over the past 190 years. They are therefore quite disjointed in design and style. Ghotmeh's renovation will aesthetically unify them, create better flow and upgrade them for a modern museum experience, with interactive and digital elements that bring the objects to life. 'This competition has been an exciting process shaped by dialogue and multiple voices," Ghotmeh says. "I am looking forward to continuing this rich and collaborative process as we work towards transforming this section of the museum into an extraordinary space – a place of connections for the world and of the world. "Our vision transforms the Western Range into a living museum – a place of dialogue and reinvention, where historic narratives intertwine with contemporary perspectives." Ghotmeh and the team will now take their winning design further, working with the museum to create a final design approach, which is expected to be shared by mid-2026. Once the design has been finalised, the museum will work in stages to implement the transformation, without disrupting all access to one of the museum's most renowned collections. "This bold transformation renews the British Museum as a global meeting point of shared history where poetics and care foster peace and understanding," says Ghotmeh.
Arab News
02-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Architect Lina Ghotmeh to redesign British Museum's Western Range Galleries
DUBAI: Lebanese-helmed architecture firm Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture (LG-A) will redesign the British Museum's Western Range galleries after winning the contract in a competition. The Paris-based firm, founded by Beirut-born Ghotmeh, will transform the museum's historic building the houses some of the world's greatest antiquities. The competition for the project ran for nine months and attracted more than 60 teams. Five were shortlisted, including Reem Koolhaas and David Chipperfield, and were invited to take part in a two-stage competition, from which LG-A emerged as the winner. Gotmeh's vision for the redesign for the galleries resonated with the judges due to its archaeological approach to the architectural design in what the museum is calling 'one of the biggest cultural renovations undertaken anywhere in the world.' 'In Lina Ghotmeh we have an architect who combines a deep sensitivity to the history of our great collection while being a voice for the future,' said George Osborne, chairman of the British Museum and chair of the judging panel, in a statement. 'We had many outstanding entries – and I thank the other practices for all their hard work – but I can say as chair of the judging panel, she was the standout winner. 'Her design ideas excited and enthused the trustees; when they become real buildings and galleries, we know they will excite and enthuse our millions of visitors,' added Osborne. The judging panel comprised of experts in the field of architecture including Yvonne Farrell, Meneesha Kellay, Mahrukh Tarapor, and Sarah Younger. Alongside Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum, were representatives from the British Museum's Board of Trustees — artist Tracey Emin, Charlie Mayfield and Alejandro Santo Domingo. Ghotmeh, who grew up in Beirut during the 1980s amid the Lebanese civil war, is known for her sensitivity when designing projects. In 2023, she designed the Serpentine Pavilion London, making her the second female architect to do so after Zaha Hadid. She has also been commissioned to design a contemporary art museum in AlUla, Saudi Arabia's ancient desert region in the northwestern part of the country. In 2005, she won the international competition for the design of the Estonian National Museum while working in London and collaborating with Ateliers Jean Nouvel and Foster & Partners. 'The beauty of this project lies in how my work process is both confirmed and enriched by a project like the British Museum,' Ghotmeh told Arab News, adding how winning the project gave her 'a feeling of sharing, of collective joy, an expression of deep humanity that arises from the connections and emotions these moments evoke.' Ghotmeh's team also features Lebanese artist Ali Cherri, winner of the Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2022, who is known for his art exploring cultural heritage, particularly in Lebanon and the wider Mediterranean, and geopolitics. While prestigious, the redesign will be challenging. The Western Galleries, which comprise a third of the museum's overall gallery space, total 15,650 square meters. The complex area includes the original 1850s buildings that were designed by Robert Smirke and later additions — all of which need to be renovated to meet present building standards. Many of the galleries contain important 'heritage building fabric' the museum has said. Ghotmeh also notes the feeling of responsibility in redesigning such an important museum, stating how she feels 'the responsibility to bring our visions to life and continue this path of striving for quality and beauty.' 'Each project, for me, is a historical, material, and creative journey — like 'archaeology of the future.' 'I am thrilled to design with a deep understanding of this museum — its history, the possibilities of what a 21st-century museum could be, the collection, its provenance, and the stories it should tell,' added Ghotmeh. 'It's about finding ways to engage with it, creating dialogue, and turning spaces into vessels. This is an opportunity to create extraordinary places that inspire a deep connection with the world.'
Nahar Net
24-02-2025
- General
- Nahar Net
French-Lebanese architect to redesign British Museum galleries
by Naharnet Newsdesk 22 February 2025, 11:30 The British Museum said Friday it had chosen French-Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh to redesign a third of the venue's gallery space -- including a section housing the disputed Parthenon Marbles. The museum, one of London's biggest tourist draws, received more than 60 entries after launching a competition last year for a remodeling of its Western Range galleries. Judges were won over by Ghotmeh's "deep understanding and sensitivity towards the museum," it said in a statement, while British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan said Ghotmeh was "an architect of extraordinary grace and gravitas." Her previous work includes the Hermes Leather Workshop in Louviers, France, the Estonian National Museum in Tartu and Stone Garden Housing in Beirut, the city where she was raised. Ghotmeh said she looked forward to "transforming this section of the museum into an extraordinary space." Abstract models of her designs showed a pared-back layout, with artifacts surrounded by wide spaces and archways. The museum's Western Range galleries house ancient Roman, Egyptian, Middle Eastern and Greek objects -- including the Parthenon Marbles which Greece has long campaigned to have returned to Athens. The 2,500-year-old sculptures once adorned the Parthenon temple in Athens in honor of the city's patron goddess Athena. Greek authorities maintain the sculptures were looted in 1802 by Lord Elgin, British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. London insists the sculptures were "legally acquired" by Elgin and then sold to the British Museum. One of the models for the redesigned galleries appears to show friezes resembling the ancient marbles set snugly against the museum walls. The museum did not address the marbles in its statement, which said Ghotmeh's team would work to develop the designs over the coming years.
CairoScene
23-02-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
Lebanese-French Architect Lina Ghotme to Redesign the British Museum
Lebanese-French Architect Lina Ghotme to Redesign the British Museum Chosen from over 60 applicants, Lina Ghotmeh will redefine the British Museum's Western Range with her poetic vision. In a major milestone for the British Museum, Lebanese-French architect Lina Ghotmeh, founder of the Paris-based studio Lina Ghotmeh Architecture (LG-A), has been selected to redesign its Western Range galleries. This decision follows an intense international competition launched in May 2024, which saw over 60 teams Ghotmeh - known for her deeply contextual and poetic approach to architecture - will lead one of the museum's most ambitious undertakings yet. The Western Range project is central to the British Museum's transformation, covering nearly 15,560 square metres - almost a third of its gallery space. Ghotmeh's vision, shaped by her signature 'archaeological' approach, proposes a design that feels deeply rooted in history. As seen in the initial renders, her proposal embraces a grounded aesthetic, where pale beige tones create a sense of depth and timelessness. At its heart is a high-ceilinged courtyard atrium, encircled by an arcade and crowned with a suspended balcony that offers sweeping views of the central space. Emphasising natural materials, low-carbon construction, and a deep connection to place, the design reflects the very values that captivated the competition's selection panel. The Western Range project is a key chapter in the British Museum's Masterplan - a vision to modernise its spaces, champion sustainability, and enhance the visitor experience. Moving into the next phase, Lina Ghotmeh Architecture will collaborate with a diverse team, including artist Ali Cherri, conservation architects Purcell, engineers from Arup, and graphic designers Holmes Studio, to refine the concept. The final design approach is set to be revealed by mid-2026, marking a significant step in the museum's evolution. Photography Credit: Lina Ghotmeh Architecture
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lebanese architect selected for British Museum gallery design project
Lebanese-born architect Lina Ghotmeh said she wants to transform the British Museum into 'a place of connections for the world and of the world', after she was selected to redesign a third of the London building's gallery space. Her company Lina Ghotmeh Architecture (LGA) won the competition to redesign its Western Range galleries – wowing the panel with her 'archaeological' approach to architectural design. The galleries house ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Assyrians and Middle Eastern objects along with the disputed Elgin Marbles – which Greece has long campaigned to be returned. Ghotmeh recently completed the Hermes Leather Workshop in Louviers, Normandy, which opened in 2023 and features archways made of bricks, the Estonian National Museum in Tartu and Stone Garden Housing in Beirut. Her competition submission for the British Museum said she wanted to 'reimagine together, sharing in a connected history to help build a collected future coloured with diversity'. An abstract vision of the proposed design, submitted by Ghotmeh, shows a stripped back arrangement of the artefacts with archways and flowing space. Ghotmeh, said: 'My team and I are thrilled to embark on this journey for the renovation of the Western Range of the British Museum. 'This competition has been an exciting process shaped by dialogue and multiple voices. I am looking forward to continuing this rich and collaborative process as we work towards transforming this section of the museum into an extraordinary space — a place of connections for the world and of the world.' She added that she is 'honoured to contribute to this holistic and publicly engaging transformation that will shape the museum's future in the years to come'. Ghotmeh, raised in Beirut, is said by the judging panel to have compared the project to an archaeological dig, along with looking at reimaging the story of the building's future through drawing on its past. The panel also said she has 'shown a deep understanding and sensitivity towards the museum, the complexity of collections' display and artefacts' interactions with diverse visitor groups'. Former chancellor George Osborne, chairman of the British Museum and the judging panel, said: 'We set out to find the best and I believe we've found her. In Lina Ghotmeh we have an architect who combines a deep sensitivity to the history of our great collection while being a voice for the future. 'We had many outstanding entries – and I thank the other practices for all their hard work – but I can say as chair of the judging panel, she was the standout winner. 'Her design ideas excited and enthused the trustees; when they become real buildings and galleries we know they will excite and enthuse our millions of visitors. 'When we moved into our current buildings years ago, 200 years ago the world was wowed. I believe they will be wowed again when this transformation of our great sculpture galleries, and much more, is complete.' The museum, which launched its search for an architect last year, received more than 60 entries. The final design approach in collaboration with artist Ali Cherri, Plan A, Purcell, Holmes Studio, and Arup, is expected to be shared by mid-2026. Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum, said: 'Lina Ghotmeh is an architect of extraordinary grace and gravitas. 'Her team's proposals demonstrated an exceptional and materially sensitive architectural vision for the British Museum, and their 'archaeological' approach clearly understood the ambition for this project to be as much an intellectual transformation as an architectural one. 'Lina and her team have a track record for delivering unique and human-centred design with a timeless elegance. 'I am delighted we will be working together and excited for the years ahead at such a pivotal chapter for the museum, embarking on a generationally significant project that will transform a third of our gallery space.'
