
National Museum of Rural Life
Key Facts
Client
National Museums Scotland
Location
Wester Kittochside, East Kilbride
Value
£5,200,000
Internal Floor Area
4600m2
Completion
January 2001
A modern barn to house the national rural life collection
Project Info
Kittochside, the National Museum of Rural Life, acts as a threshold into the historic agricultural landscape of Scotland. A time-capsule farm gifted to the National Trust was the catalyst to bring the national museum to this site on the edge of East Kilbride.
Constructed in a utilitarian style suited to the farming implements it holds, the building embraces the idea of an accessible museum store. A simple barn module is arranged in a rectilinear spiral that creates a rich route for the visitor to follow, framing a ramped descent between the closed but visible collection in storage, interpretive displays, and the oldest fixed mill in existence.
A robust pre-cast concrete frame and exposed brickwork set the tone for the museum displays and contribute to the passive control of the museum environment.



Testimonial
“This building is a breath of fresh air: intelligent, thoughtful architecture out in the country.”
Adrian Welch Glasgow Architecture website
Selected Awards
Scottish Design Awards 2002 - Best Public Building and Architectural Grand Prix
Dynamic Place Awards 2001 - Highly Commended
Glasgow Institute of Architects Design Award 2001