Croome Court is an important 18th mansion that was the first landscape design and major architectural project by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, whose 300th anniversary celebrations take place in the summer.

The National Trust has spent the past four years conserving, restoring and renovating the property, and now wants to provide a rich visitor experience to complement Croome’s grandeur. The competition is to interpret the Archive Room, which is one of several projects presented as part of Croome Redefined, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund between 2014 and 2017.

The Trust is seeking individuals or a small team to design and produce an experience for visitors that opens up the estate’s extensive historic records in imaginative and surprising ways. The Finalists will each receive a £500 commission to develop their ideas which will go on public display during the summer. The winning designer will receive a £15,000 commission and have the opportunity to work with an industry leader to realise their ideas.

“As part of a design competition, we are seeking an individual or small team to design and produce an experience for visitors that opens up the historic records in imaginative and surprising ways,” the Trust said. “Based in one moderately sized room, visitors need to be swept away by the experience in this space –and – inspired to use the archive to explore other areas of the house and possibly the estate.”

The deadline for applications is 15 February and the successful candidates will be notified on 19 February and invited to Croome on 24 February, where they will also be interviewed, before a group of finalists is narrowed down.

Three to five participants will receive a £500 commission to spend two months developing their ideas. Final designs will be submitted by 1 June 2016 and put on public display during the summer. The National Trust plan to open the new room up to the public on 18 November.

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Main Image

Croome Court and Croome River. Photograph by Victoria Cronin