CULTURE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND
A perfect fit G
Behind the scenes with the firm working on the National Museum of Scotland’s new galleries
BY WILLIAM PEAKIN
raham Wakeford is in a good mood; he has just flown back home after signing the biggest contract in his career and
in his company’s history. “Definitely a highlight,” said Wakeford, manag- ing director of BECK. “We have been privileged to work on some of the world’s most prestigious projects,” he said, citing the International Wetland Park in Hong Kong, the Bahrain National Monument and the King Salman Science Oasis in Saudi Arabia. “For me, I love Te National Chil-
dren’s Museum in Amman, Jordan, a project we undertook for Queen Rania. Tis project was the first interactive museum of its kind in the region. On opening day, a young visitor approached me and asked if she could actually sit on the bumble bee and ride it. Te look on her face when I said she could was a special moment.” Whilst working on some of the
largest projects in the world, the company’s roots remain firmly in the UK. It recently completed Bentley Priory, a project designed by Neal Potter, which was produced for the WW1 centenary celebrations. BECK was born out of an amal-
gamation of an exhibition fit-out firm and a shop-fitting company, but 20 years ago made the move into high-end sectors, such as museums and science centres, five-star hotels, luxury residential and boutique retail. Starting with BECK as an apprentice, Wakeford has seen the company grow from £4m to £100m in turnover. BECK’s involvement in Scotland
began with the initial fit-out of Dy- namic Earth in Edinburgh. Designed by Event Communications, one of the world’s leading museum and sci- ence centre design practices, it was the first UK Millennium Commission
A design visual of the Science and Technology Galleries, by Metaphor
project to be completed. Since then, the company has worked on the Summerlee Heritage Park in Lanark- shire, designed by Redman, Riverside Museum in Glasgow, also designed by Event Communications, and more recently, the Royal Museum Project within the National Museum of Scotland. “Our ambition [now] for the
National Museum of Scotland is quite simple,” said Wakeford. “We would like to exceed the quality and experi- ence of the previous phase. Te Royal Museum Project was a huge success, winning the Museum and Heritage Award for the Best Perma- nent Museum. Te design is very much in keeping with the previous phase and uses similar materials to seamlessly connect the galleries. “But really it’s not BECK that
makes the museum, it is the objects and the way in which the design team present these. Metaphor [the design team] have captured this within their design, and it goes without saying that the National Museum has a truly outstanding col-
14 | EVENTSBASE | WINTER 2015
“WE TURN THE TWO DIMENSIONAL VISION INTO THREE DIMENSIONAL REALITY”
Graham Wakeford, managing director of BECK
lection that visitors will be privileged to view. All we do is turn the two dimensional vision into three dimen- sional reality.” A 50-strong team is working on
the project, covering design, project management, cost control to special- ist services such as conservation, audio visual, rigging, display cases, artefact mounts, model making and interactives, graphics and exhibit build, along with site installation teams and all of the administration that goes along with the successful delivery of a significant project. “Te programme for the project is
aggressive,” said Wakeford, “but why wouldn’t it be? With good commu- nication and a proactive approach, we shall deliver, as we are as keen for the public to see the museum’s transformation. Te outcome, which people will be able to see from sum- mer 2016, will be ten spectacular new galleries showing over 3,000 items which will showcase the museum’s internationally important collections of decorative art, design, fashion, science and technology.”
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