V&A Photography Centre
Grade I Listed
During his time at Gibson Thornley Architects, Harry was Project Architect for Phase 2 of the V&A Photography Centre in South Kensington, London – Winner of the Best Public Building Interior at the World Architecture and Inside Festival.
The project provides a sequence of new permanent gallery spaces for the museum, and has successfully generated new audiences to the Photography Centre. The galleries allow visitors to explore photography through large scale exhibitions, interactive displays (provided by bespoke display cases and walk-in camera obscura), alongside resource based learning inside a new library space.
New architectural interventions and display cases respond sensitively to the detailing, order and proportions of the original Victorian galleries, culminating in the new library space which forms the heart of the Photography Centre. Designed to house and exhibit the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) book collection, the library provides a quiet reading space that purposefully displays back-of-house areas and day-to-day librarian activities to exhibit the RPS collection in full.
Site Plan
“Harry’s understanding of both the operational demands and the sensitivity of the heritage context was invaluable. His attention to detail and ability to problem solve resulted in a scheme that is exceptionally beautiful and eminently practical.”
Dr. Philippa Simpson
V&A Director of Design, Estate & Public Programme
