This marks the next stage in the five-year Heritage Lottery Funded project and will take Derby Silk Mill Museum of Making through the development stage where it will begin to reveal more comprehensively its outstanding collections.
The project expects to bring in thousands of new visitors to the city each year, displaying items from Derby’s rich industrial history, celebrating the makers of the past, while empowering members of the public to be a part of the museum’s future.
Bauman Lyons Architects has been appointed to progress Derby Silk Mill through to RIBA Stage 3 and will see a design developed for the building. “We are delighted to be offered the opportunity to continue working with Derby Museums’ Silk Mill team to support their innovative approach and their vision of what museums can be in the future,” said the architects. “We are also pleased to continue our involvement with Derby, where we have worked on other schemes, such as the refurbishment of Marble Hall in Osmaston and Sadler Bridge Studios.”
Specialists in developing inspirational visitor environments, Leach Studio, have been appointed to work with the team at Derby Museums to develop the look and feel of the exhibition and learning spaces.
“We are absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to work with Derby Museums. Innovation and creation is at the heart of the Mill’s history and at the heart of what we do as designers,” said Jim Parkin, Director of Leach Studio. “Quite often the design process can happen behind closed doors, but this project is uniquely focused around how communities can help co-create the museum, telling Derby Silk Mill’s amazing stories and showcasing the fantastic collection. We want to engage people, promote participation and encourage new ideas to create a Museum of Making which has a valued role for the whole community and continues to inspire for years to come.”
This project will sustainably redevelop Derby Silk Mill, site of the world’s first factory and part of the UNESCO Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, by creating an inspirational new museum, revealing the whole building for the first time, re-introducing manufacturing to the site. Celebrating the heritage of our city of makers through our internationally, regionally and locally significant collections.
Silk Mill Project Director, Hannah Fox, said to get to this stage had taken a huge amount of planning and the museum was excited to be able to take the next step towards creating the Museum of Making.
“We were blown away by the creative approaches and principles of both organisations and believe we have the right people to help create a world class visitor attraction which will be a valuable asset for Derby and its communities.”
