Bovis Lend Lease selected for National Maritime Museum's Sammy Ofer Wing Project

Sammy Ofer Wing: View from Greenwich Park ©National Maritime Museum, London The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich has appointed Bovis Lend Lease as the main construction contractor for the Museum's Sammy Ofer Wing project.

The Museum has also secured planning permission and listed building consent for the £35 million project from the London Borough of Greenwich.

Preparation work to decant galleries and the Museum’s archives has already begun and construction work is scheduled to begin on-site in August. The project is due to be completed before the 2012 Olympics, in which the Museum hosts the equestrian events.

Sammy Ofer Wing: Interior looking East ©National Maritime Museum, London NMM Director Dr Kevin Fewster said: “Achieving planning consent and appointing our main contractor are major steps forward for the project. We have a great team and a strong design. This incorporates creative re-use of our existing South-West Wing to house our outstanding archive collections in world-class conditions, combined with a skilfully developed special exhibition space, interactive galleries, a new south entrance and greatly improved visitor facilities. All in all, the new wing will create a spectacular contemporary environment in which all our visitors can appreciate the wonders of our world-class collections and their stories of human endeavour and discovery.”

The project has been made possible through the generosity of Mr Sammy Ofer and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

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For further information please contact: Claire Hyde or Sheryl Twigg, National Maritime Museum Press Office on 020 8312 6735/6790 | 07903 547 284 or by email: chyde@rmg.co.uk or stwigg@rmg.co.uk

The project team:

Sammy Ofer Wing: Interior view looking North-West ©National Maritime Museum, London Project management: Malcolm Reading Consultants
Malcolm Reading Consultants delivers independent support to clients with major capital projects. The company's work includes producing feasibility studies, business cases and design briefs to secure approval and funding for projects. MRC also leads selection processes to find the best people for projects and serves as independent advisers and client representatives.

Executive architects: Purcell Miller Tritton
Purcell Miller Tritton is an award-winning architectural practice dedicated to the care of historic places and to the creation of innovative and sustainable new buildings. The practice works on some of the UK’s most significant cultural buildings for internationally recognized organizations, including The British Museum and the National Gallery, and with local communities on some of their best-loved museums and galleries
    
Construction Contractor  Bovis Lend Lease    
Bovis Lend Lease is one of the UK’s leading construction and project management companies and has a strong track record of delivering landmark projects. The company offers a growing range of sector skills from the mainstream commercial and retail markets to leisure, pharmaceuticals, airports and public private partnerships. Bovis Lend Lease has established a number of joint venture partnerships to plan, project manage and deliver regeneration schemes around the world and we are committed to being a sustainable organisation.

Design architects: C. F. Møller
C. F. Møller Architects is one of Scandinavia’s oldest and largest architectural practices. Its London branch is currently delivering large and complex UK projects, including the Darwin Centre Phase 2 at the Natural History Museum. The practice has won many national and international competitions. Its work has been shown at international architectural exhibitions and has been extensively featured in leading professional journals.

Landscape Architect: Churchman Landscape Architects Ltd
Structural Engineers: Adam Kara Taylor
Building Services: Fulcrum Consulting
Cast Manager:  Turner and Townsend
Planning Consultant: Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• The £35 million project will play a key role in driving the Museum’s strategic vision forward, enabling it to illustrate how Britain’s relationship with the sea has fundamentally shaped histories, cultures, economies, and identities across the globe. It will transform the Museum’s capacity to develop and engage with a new generation of audiences. The new exhibition spaces and accessible archives will change the way the Museum presents its collections and exhibition programme to its visitors, both from within the UK and internationally.
• The new wing features five key elements; a substantial new space for special exhibitions, an open archive centre, new learning spaces, a new south entrance, and new visitor facilities, including a restaurant, café and shop.
• The new wing has been made possible through a generous donation by international shipping magnate and philanthropist Sammy Ofer. During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean and saw active service. The international shipping group which he founded operates a significant part of its fleet from London with about 90 vessels flying the Red Ensign. Through his longstanding relationship with London and its shipping community Sammy Ofer has developed a deep appreciation for the long maritime tradition and history of the UK. The new wing will be named in his honour.
• Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported more than 26,000 projects, allocating over £4billion across the UK. Website: www.hlf.org.uk.
• In 2008, the Museum welcomed over two million visitors, the highest in its history, and was eighth in the league table of leading visitor attractions (ALVA). Over ten million people visited its website.