Exeter Ark nears completion
21 August 2007
Marking an important milestone in RAMM's redevelopment, city Councillors, including Lead Councillor for Environment and Leisure, Connel Boyle, helped complete the roofing of the new Museum Store in a special 'topping out' ceremony.
The new building, known as the Exeter Ark, will store thousands of items from RAMM's collections, while the splendid Victorian building in Queen Street is closed for refurbishment.
The Ark is one of the first purpose-built collection stores in the world to be designed to stringent environmental specifications using passive techniques. Designed by Devon-based Ecological Architects Gale & Snowden, the low environmental impact, two storey building is super-insulated, and of air-tight construction, enabling the building to retain a balanced environment without the need for intensive air-conditioning. Dense block-work walls give a high thermal mass to reduce daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations. The design has been calculated to give a capital saving of £350,000 as well as saving £30,000 per annum in running costs when compared to a standard new-build collection store.
Topping out the Ark - Our Lead Cllr, Connel Boyle, sealing the roof. Back row L to R: Alan Caig, ECC Head of Leisure and Museums, Council Leader, Peter Edwards, Cllr Val Dixon (Portfolio Holder for HR), Cllr Margaret Baldwin, Scrutiny Committee Chair, Peter Prangley (Leadbitter Site Manager) and Grant Costin (Leadbitter Site Foreman).
