Display space for John Soane

The Sir John Soane’s Museum – currently undergoing a ú2m restoration – will have its first public exhibition space this spring, designed by architect Eva Jiricna.

The 30m2 gallery is “minute and untouchable”, according to Jiricna. “This is a very complicated job, as the gallery is a Grade 1 listed building. All we are allowed to do is paint it off-white and hang blinds in the windows.”

Jiricna has designed exhibition cases “with strong environmental restrictions to cope with humidity and ventilation”. These will function as a structure for different exhibitions. The first – featuring Soane’s drawings – will open on 6 April, when the five-year restoration project is complete. Conservation design specialist Julian Harrap is the architect.

The museum was founded by architect-collector Sir John Soane, a contemporary of Robert Adam. It contains drawings by Soane himself, Sir Christopher Wren and Adam and George Dance.