Ben Kelly

Given the brief of making ‘a Haçienda for kids’ which would feel more like a club than a classroom, BKD master-planned three galleries, a multifunctional space, a shop and a toilet block in the basement of London’s Science Museum. The key to the project was the introduction of ‘terraces’, a device for processing a number of school parties simultaneously. Children can enjoy talks and performances, eat lunch, and relax, whilst accompanying adults oversee the activities from raised seating. BKD turned the building itself into a site for investigation, cutting various-height holes through walls and floors to reveal structure, energy systems and recycling processes. Bold graphic devices were used to appeal to children of all ages, and a trail of giant ‘discarded objects’ inlaid into the lino flooring by artist Tim Head provided the space with another layer of interest.