Zaha Hadid Architects has been selected to design a new mathematics gallery in London’s Science Museum. Aimed to be the “world’s foremost gallery of mathematics,” as described by museum director Ian Blatchford, the £7.5 million state-of-the-art gallery will examine the ideas of mathematicians from the past 400 years in an effort to illustrate just how mathematics has helped shape our world.
“The design explores the many influences of mathematics in our everyday lives; transforming seemingly abstract mathematical concepts into an exciting interactive experience for visitors of all ages,” stated Hadid.
Part of the South Kensington institution’s five-year masterplan, the David and Claudia Harding Mathematics Gallery is planned for completion in 2016. It will feature a 1929 experimental Handley Page aircraft whose design advanced the study of aerodynamics and material stress, and served as inspiration for Hadid’s design.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the Rt Hon Sajid Javid said: “Mathematics is an absolutely vital part of a rounded education. So it is great news that the Science Museum is to have a new gallery, helping to bring it alive and make it meaningful for everyone. And with Zaha Hadid to design it, I’m sure the end product will delight and amaze all who come to see it.”
References: The Evening Standard, Science Museum, BDOnline
