The British Museum has announced that architect Lina Ghotmeh will lead the renovation of the Western Range galleries, a huge area of 15,650 square metres that amounts to one third of the museum’s overall gallery space. Initial designs for the space will now be developed, with the aim of being ready by mid-2026.

Lebanese-born architect Lina Ghotmeh (b. 1980) runs an architecture firm based in Paris which adopts a unique approach based on sustainability and heritage, described as being “the archaeology of the future”. The firm have recently been responsible for the Hermès Leather Workshop in Louviers, a “high-performance, low-carbon brick building” (inaugurated in 2023) and the Serpentine Pavilion (also 2023). The British Museum announced a shortlist of five teams for what new director Nicholas Cullinan has called “one of the biggest cultural renovations undertaken anywhere in the world”. Ghotmeh was selected, with Cullinan saying in an Instagram post that her initial ideas “unanimously impressed the jury with their beauty, sensitivity and ingenuity and for her deep interest in archaeology.”

In a statement, Ghotmeh said “my team and I are thrilled to embark on this journey for the renovation of the Western Range of the British Museum. This competition has been an exciting process shaped by dialogue and multiple voices.” Ghotmeh’s team for this project will include the artist Ali Cherri, who looks to cultural histories in his work. George Osborne, chairman of the trustees at the British Museum and member of the judging panel, said in a statement “we set out to find the best and I believe we’ve found her”, and that “in Lina Ghotmeh, we have an architect who combines a deep sensitivity to the history of our great collection while being a voice for the future.” The British Museum added that the judging panel were enthusiastic about her approach which likened the project to an archaeological dig.

The redevelopment project is part of a much bigger plan which includes a new museum Energy Centre designed to phase out fossil fuels. The project, which has government funding, aims to make the museum more sustainable, and will likely cost hundreds of millions of pounds.