by
Russell Cotes Museum
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum is seeking a suitably qualified conservation accredited specialist to lead a team of specialist consultants for essential conservation works.
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum (RCAGM) is a Grade II* listed building, located on the East Cliff of Bournemouth and housing an internationally important collection of 40,000 items of Victorian fine and decorative art and world cultures, much on open display.
Formerly known as East Cliff Hall, it was built in 1894 by the local architect John Fogarty initially as a house for Sir Merton and Lady Russell-Cotes. The building was constructed not only as a house for Sir Merton and his wife but also to show the artwork they collected and to entertain on a large scale. In 1908 Sir Merton and Lady Russell-Cotes presented the house as an art gallery to Bournemouth and it has been administered by the Borough Council (and its successors) ever since.
The building is in an exposed coastal southerly-facing location and is subject to extremes of climatic conditions, including high winds, driving rain, high salinity and ultra-violet exposure, all of which has resulted in significant degradation of the fabric.
The building has had little investment in its fabric or services since 1999. A condition survey carried out in 2020 by a conservation accredited architect and surveyor identified £4 million of work required over 5 years, including £2 million of vital work needed within 18 months.
In Spring 2024, Arts Council England announced a fourth round of MEND Funding to carry out essential maintenance works to buildings of national historic interest, such as Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum. BCP Council applied and passed the EOI stage and has been invited to submit a full application.
As part of the application process, a specialist conservation accredited architect and surveyor prepared a costed scheme to carry out a programme of high priority works identified in the 2024 condition survey from RIBA Stage 1 to Stage 3.
This procurement is to obtain the professional services of a suitably qualified conservation accredited specialist (architect, chartered surveyor or chartered architectural technologist to lead a team of specialist consultants from RIBA Stage 4 (Technical Design) to Stage 6 (Handover), should the application be successful.
Location
Sector
Civic, Arts & Leisure
Website
Tender Portal
Tender Stage
ITT
Deadline
28 February 2025
Consultant Team
Conservation Architect
Submission Criteria
Bidder’s Experience (50%) – details of your organisation’s previous experience with particular reference to publicly funded projects and projects involving listed buildings of this kind, ensure you provide details of your delivery of 2-3 similar schemes and include photographs to support your response. Make specific reference to previous works to any historic decorative finishes (murals, paintwork, wallpaper etc.) affected. Also provide an overview of how these contracts were managed and detail the positive outcomes and expertise that was developed throughout the contract, and how the expertise will be applied to this contract.
Bidder’s Proposed Project Team (25%) – details of the proposed project team that will be employed on the contract including experience and qualifications of all key staff, with supporting CVs + organigram highlighting any sub-contractors and outlining their role on the project.
Method Statement (15%) – detailed method statement for the delivery of this project with particular reference to your ability to lead the Project Team, to work in close collaboration with the Client and other consultants + an outline programme for the delivery of the project.
Sustainability (10%) – With reference to the RIBA Sustainable Outcomes Guide in the RIBA 2020 Plan of Work, please describe how you would ensure, through design and management, that this project is maximally sustainable.