BECK appointed for £16m Harris revamp
The fit-out contractor will design the exhibition displays, shelving, and interiors of the future Preston community hub.
The work is a crucial part of Preston City Council’s £16m plans to transform the grade one-listed Harris into what it calls a “blended cultural venue” – part library, part museum, part gallery – by the end of 2024. The scheme includes creating new spaces, renovating older ones, and using new displays to showcase Preston’s role in the world.
BECK is no stranger to museum work. Past projects for the Surrey-based fit-out company include Aerospace Bristol, Macallan Distillery & Visitor Experience in Scotland, and the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture in Saudi Arabia.
“BECK is thrilled to be appointed as the fit-out contractor to restore and refurbish, the Harris library, art gallery, and museum,” said Dal Chana, board director at BECK.
“We look forward to working with Preston City Council and the project team on protecting this beloved building at the heart of the community while creating a modern, cultural learning space for today’s audience,” Chana continued.
“Our diverse works have taken us around the world on iconic projects and we are delighted to add the Harris to our portfolio.”
CGI showing what an area for young people at the Harris may look like. Credit: Ralph Appelbaum Associates
BECK will work alongside showcase contractor Click Netherfield on fitting out the space.
Iain Anderson, senior project manager at Click Netherfield, shared a bit more about the company.
“Click Netherfield are museum showcase experts with over 50 years’ experience in design, engineering, manufacturing, and installation of showcases having worked for royal families, world leaders, national institutions, artists, and private collectors around the world,” Anderson said.
“We are delighted to have been appointed by Preston City Council as the showcase contractor to the Harris Your Place project and look forward to working with the wider project team to deliver showcases that will protect, preserve and present your wonderful collection for many years to come.”
Preston City Council has steadily been releasing images showcasing what the new version of the Harris may look like. Credit: Ralph Appelbaum Associates
While BECK is focused on the interiors, main contractor Conlon Construction will continue refurbishing the historical building.
For Michael Conlon, chairman of Conlon Construction, work on the Harris is personal – it was where he was married last year.
“Conlon Construction has called the city home for the last 60 years and the Harris fed the imaginations of our team on visits when we were children,” he said.
Conlon added later: “Our many connections to the Harris make this quite a unique and special project for all of us at Conlon.
“We’re proud to undertake the refurbishments readying it for the next phase of its incredible history. It’s an exciting, 21st-century facility, which will support the needs of the city and the county for generations to come.”
Ralph Appelbaum Associates is leading on design and planning for the Harris project. Buttress Architects provided architectural services. Plans for the Harris revamp were approved in January 2021.
The proposed central rotunda at The Harris in Preston. Credit: via Preston City Council
