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The site of London's historic Hendon Aerodrome, an important aviation centre from 1908 to 1968, was repurposed as the Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum in 1972. With the RAF's 2018 Centenary quickly approaching, a new master plan has been proposed for the property by Nex Architecture, who are seeking to bring enhancements to the visitor experience while creating a coherent physical identity for the attraction.
The renewed facility will contain a prominent visitor centre underscored by a 40-metre-long entrance and sheltered by a cantilevered roof canopy. A water tank clad in anodized aluminum fins provides a further signature entry element to guests.
The interior of the hangar will be transformed to focus on a more complete and flexible visitor experience, which will be accomplished through the provision of a new central two-storey block. This space — clad in aluminum fins that are reminiscent of overlapping jet turbine engine blades — will host a cafe, shop, members' room, and public viewing galleries. The resulting visual effect alters the perceived porosity and solidity of the facade. This work will need to be carefully conducted around the Sunderland bomber aircraft that the hangar houses, which is too fragile to be moved.
Elsewhere on the site, Nex proposes to convert a former officers' mess dating from the 1930s into a 170-seat restaurant. The character of the building will be preserved, with its brick walls and steel roof trusses underscoring new ash panelling, display cabinets, and stained oak flooring. With work scheduled to be completed for spring 2018, the renovations are expected to begin in January 2017.
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