Mary Rose Museum

ECE Architecture

Designing around a 500-year-old Tudor warship undergoing active conservation presented a once-in-a-lifetime challenge that demanded exceptional technical ingenuity and collaborative problem-solving.

As Executive Architects, we took on the responsibility of creating a permanent home for Henry VIII’s flagship, while ensuring that its delicate conservation process continued uninterrupted. Working in close collaboration with Bouygues UK and developing the concept design by Wilkinson Eyre and Pringle Brandon, we delivered an exceptional facility that harmoniously houses this cultural treasure. This required meticulous planning around not one, but two culturally significant landmarks: the maritime wreck itself and the scheduled monument dry dock housing it.

The technical complexity of this project was unprecedented, requiring us to work around a priceless hull that couldn’t be moved during construction. The Mary Rose had been undergoing a critical 17-year conservation process using polyethene glycol (PEG) spraying to preserve its timbers, with strictly controlled temperature requirements.

Our team collaborated closely with Bouygues UK to develop innovative solutions that respected the original design intent while creating a more feasible structural approach that protected both ancient monuments.

The most significant challenge was constructing a building that maintained precise environmental conditions for the ship’s conservation. The original steel frame design proved prohibitively expensive, requiring materials that would take 36 weeks to source.

Working alongside structural engineers, we reimagined the support system to utilise multiple foundation points while still protecting the integrity of the dry dock. This creative approach maintained design quality whilst delivering substantial cost savings, demonstrating our commitment to both commercial viability and heritage preservation.

Our team incorporated the use of Revit on this project, enabling us to understand and navigate the complex geometry of the building. This technical approach proved invaluable for coordinating the intricate steel frame, wall build-ups, and staircase designs around the existing Weymss structure that housed the ship. The precision demanded was exceptional – even minor temperature fluctuations could compromise years of conservation work, requiring 24-hour vigilance throughout construction.

The Mary Rose Museum stands as a testament to architectural innovation meeting heritage conservation. Winning numerous prestigious awards, including RIBA, RICS, and Civic Trust recognitions, this project exemplifies our ability to deliver technically complex solutions whilst respecting the priceless historical artefacts at the heart of our built environment.