The Burrell Collection
Client: Glasgow Museums
Location: Pollok Country Park, Glasgow, Scotland
Size: 8,000 m²
Timeframe: 2014–2020
Role: Design Lead & Creative Direction
Home to one of the most remarkable private collections ever assembled, the Burrell Collection includes medieval stained glass, ancient Chinese ceramics, Islamic carpets, and French Impressionist masterpieces. Gifted to the city by Sir William Burrell, the collection is housed in a modernist architectural landmark set in Glasgow’s Pollok Country Park. When it opened in 1983, the museum symbolised the city’s cultural renaissance.
Thirty years on, the building faced urgent challenges: structural issues, poor accessibility, and a decline in visitor engagement. Glasgow Museums set out an ambitious vision—to create the most beautiful and accessible museum of fine and decorative arts in the world. Event was appointed to help realise this vision.
As Design Lead, I directed the creative response from pitch through to delivery. Working closely with the client team, curators, educators, and architects John McAslan + Partners, I developed a cohesive design that revitalised the museum while preserving its architectural integrity. I oversaw all stages of design, coordinated with consultants across media, lighting, and exhibition build, and maintained on-site supervision to ensure design quality and vision were met throughout. The result is a reimagined museum that honours its legacy while engaging new audiences for the future.
Concept Diagram
A Three-Level Visitor Proposition
The architectural development has opened up three levels of the building to the visitors for the first time. This offers the has given us the opportunity to develop three distinct propositions and experiences to draw visitors through the levels and offer new perspectives on the collection.
Level 3: Make Explore the objects through the eyes of the craftspeople, makers and artists who created them. Experience the materials, process, techniques and skills that the objects represent. Explore the lives of the makers - their inspiration and the context in which they worked.
Level 2: Witness See from the objects’ perspectives. Where have they been? What have they seen? Encounter the people, the places, and activities that the objects have witnessed. Explore the lives of the objects before they came to the Burrell Collection.
Level 1: Collect See the extraordinary extent and breadth of the collection in the object stores. Explore the coming together of the collection and learn about how it is researched and cared for.
Project Images
Design development
The Burrell Display System
Family of distinct components - Composition, proportion, materiality, and detail.
To facilitate the display of the collection Event designed a family of interchangeable and modular components which build upon the qualities of the building and the collection.
These work seamlessly with the architecture, working within the existing architectural palate and datums and using standardised modular sizes and details. They have a single material pallette which draws on the original while adding in new complimentary colour and texture, they have limited direct fixings to the building.
Design development
The Exhibition: response:
The exhibition acts as the connecting element between the objects and the architecture, facilitating and enhancing the dialogue between collection and building, respecting the presence and impact of both
The exhibition design draws its inspiration from the architectural context, reflecting the original architectural principles of Earth and Air, where solid structures support objects and light materials and translucent layers hold stories.
All materiality and detailing reflect the simplicity and exacting craftsmanship that is key to the building.
The Exhibition design aims to enhance the experience of the Burrell, building on the original architectural intent of creating a comprehensive spatial experience.
Vistas and views guide the positioning of key objects and displays, facilitating rhythm and pace, adding moments of surprise and discovery and aiding orientation.