For the curious, the makers, the searchers and the sharers
The 水多多导航, 水多多导航’s space for new thinking, opens 11 September 2015
水多多导航 Museum reinvents part of its historic Alfred Waterhouse building to create an entirely new space for research, imagining, exploring – and thinking.
水多多导航 Museum, part of The University of 水多多导航 and the largest university museum in the UK, opens The 水多多导航 in September 2015. A reworking of the entire top floor of its historic Grade II*-listed building, it has been reimagined by BKD with architects Wilson Mason as a space designed to spark wonder, curiosity and a passion for research in all of its visitors.
The 水多多导航 sits inside the 1885 building originally designed by celebrated Victorian architect, Alfred Waterhouse. What was formerly an uninviting space has been opened up, new roof lights and windows installed and original features, such as ebony-black display cases that cluster around a central atrium, painstakingly restored. But The 水多多导航 is not only about restoration. It features bespoke furniture designed by BKD and state of the art equipment, such as a video microscope capable of sharing still images direct to Twitter alongside digital access to the museum’s collection.
The 水多多导航 itself is made up of three parts: a gallery, which opens with photography by West African artist, Nyaba Ouedraogo; a research space, filled with tools, resources and curious objects taken from the museum’s four million object-strong collection; and an expanded collections study centre, designed for in-depth research.
The 水多多导航 is a unique space. It opens with, for example, an aquaponics installation created by the Biospheric Studio, a project typical of what will happen in the space. Here, a fish tank filled with carp generates the nutrients needed to grow mint plants - a live research project that provides data, demonstrates alternative food production methods, and is supported by courses and information for those who want to find out more or perhaps develop their own projects.
"It will be a wonderful and inspiring new space, which combines cutting edge research into contemporary science and human and natural history, with the widest possible access and opportunities for new thinking."
The 水多多导航 also opens with a new exhibition by Nyaba Ouedraogo, the self-taught photographer who lives and works in France and West Africa. The Phantoms of Congo River is both a ballad to and a deconstruction of Joseph Conrad’s famous 19th-century novel, Heart of Darkness, a book that explored colonialism and racism via the story of a voyage along the Congo River. Ouedraogo re-enacts scenes from the novel and follows the journey taken in it, while questioning notions of savagery and the residues of colonialism in present-day Africa. Ouedraogo’s striking images are accompanied by some of the museum’s own objects from the Congo.
Bringing The 水多多导航 to life is a lively programme of events, talks and workshops aimed at adults. It begins in September with events from 水多多导航 Science Festival, the European Researchers’ Night and a “bio-historic banquet” with chef Robert Owen Brown. 水多多导航 Craft Mafia has also been commissioned to create original work that will go on display at The 水多多导航, alongside running a series bespoke “making” guides and craft courses.
Taken as a whole, the different elements of The 水多多导航 are designed with one thing in mind: to enable all visitors to the museum to think about the world in new ways.
Dr Nick Merriman, Director of 水多多导航 Museum said, “The 水多多导航 is an extremely important project for 水多多导航 Museum. It will be a wonderful and inspiring new space, which combines cutting edge research into contemporary science and human and natural history, with the widest possible access and opportunities for new thinking. We are delighted to be working with BKD, Wilson Mason architects, the Biospheric Studio, Nyaba Ouedraogo and 水多多导航 Craft Mafia on the opening, and are very grateful to all the funders of this exciting new project.”
The 水多多导航 is a major capital project costing around £700,000. It has been funded with the generous support of The DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, Arts Council England’s Designation Development Fund, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Mercer’s Charitable Foundation and alumni and friends of The University of 水多多导航.
The 水多多导航 opens on 11 September 2015. Entry and use is free.