Image: View of the new event space © Jamie Fobert Architects
Jamie Fobert Architects’ expansion plans for the historic Royal Observatory Greenwich gain planning permission, Listed Building Consent and Scheduled Monument Consent.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich has secured planning permission, Listed Building Consent and Scheduled Monument Consent for a major architectural development marking its 350th anniversary.
The approvals, granted by the Royal Borough of Greenwich over the past six months, give the green light for improvements to visitor access and facilities at Britain’s oldest purpose-built scientific institution.
Jamie Fobert Architects, appointed through a public competition in 2022, has designed the expansion to include a new entry pavilion and garden walk, accessible routes to the Great Equatorial Telescope and Planetarium, refreshed galleries and new event, retail and café spaces.
Situated on a hill in Greenwich Park in south east London, the observatory was established in June 1675. It is one of a collection of locations managed by Royal Museums Greenwich alongside the National Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark and the Queen’s House.
Paddy Rodgers, CEO, Royal Museums Greenwich, said the project will “aim to inspire new audiences and advance our remit as a place for the public understanding of astronomy as decreed by our Royal Warrant.
“The Royal Observatory has long been a place of curiosity, meticulous observation and creative thinking. This encapsulates the spirit of this project.”
Architect Jamie Fobert said, “we conceived of the new building elements as ‘instruments of navigation’ to guide the visitor around the site. Unique to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, we are creating a memorable set of pavilions and stairs in bronze, which test the boundaries of what an astronomical language of architecture can be.”
