Landscape
A living threshold that breaks down barriers, celebrates heritage, and brings wild colour to a museum in the heart of Truro.
Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery
Working in close collaboration with The Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery and other specialists, we reimagined the Grade II Listed museum’s frontage to create a space that is open, welcoming, and accessible to all - breaking down physical and visual barriers, whilst retaining and recognising the existing heritage. The planting was designed to celebrate nature, combining native, climate-resilient, and distinctive species that bring colour, character, and biodiversity to the space throughout the year.
The Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery, formerly known as The Royal Cornwall Museum, commenced their transformation journey in January 2024, with plans to update the visitor experience, fix longstanding leaks, enhance accessibility, and reconnect the building with its Cornish heritage. Lavigne Lonsdale were appointed to redesign the Museum's frontage, tasked with creating a welcoming, vibrant arrival space alongside a social community garden that reflects their inclusive values.
The Brief
Our Response
Our work began by understanding the historic layers of the building, its important heritage elements and newer additions, identifying aspects integral to the character of the entrance. Working alongside heritage experts and local stonemasons, we wanted to create a space that seamlessly blended the old and new, both celebrating the building's history while allowing it to move forward into a new generation of needs. The redesigned frontage reflects the internal transformation, signalling the Museum's renewed ambition from the moment of arrival.
The design removes hard boundaries to create an interactive and welcoming space that invites people to pause, sit, and congregate. Sustainable and inclusive, it is intended to generate a sense of excitement and inspire visitors to step inside and explore.
The planting reflects Cornwall's distinctive environment and climate, providing habitats for wildlife suited to tropical and coastal conditions not usually associated with the UK. A collection of diaspora planting symbolises Cornwall's international relationships through mining and culture, referencing species brought back from Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand. A combination of native and climate-resilient planting improves sustainability around water usage and maintenance, whilst providing high-quality biodiversity and colour to the streetscape.
