Our Projects: The Roman Villa Museum
The new Roman Villa Museum forms part of the wider visitor attraction at The Newt.
The Hadspen Roman Villa was first discovered in 1832 and excavations in the 20th and 21st centuries revealed the true extent of the villa and its outbuildings.
The museum now conserves these archaeological finds alongside interactive displays to offer an educational and immersive experience of Roman Somerset.
Subtly integrated into the landscape, the museum building floats carefully over the exposed foundations of the Hadspen Roman villa. The glass façade provides an extraordinary viewing platform for visitors to look over the landscape that reinterprets the ruins of the original villa.
The 50m long glazed elevation of the museum is free from visible fixings and structure so as not to distract from the internal and external exhibits.
On adjacent land that has no archaeology in the ground, an authentic replica of the villa has been constructed based on the evidence found at the site.
Remaining parts of the villa have been re-buried for preservation.
The museum is of lightweight construction, with high levels of insulation and air tightness. Heating and cooling is achieved using a refrigerant heat pump based system.
Received a highly Commended Award at the Civic Trust Awards 2024.
- Client: Emily Estate Ltd
- Sector: Culture and CommunityHeritage
- Services: Cost Consultancy
- Contract: Confidential
