Following the discovery of King Richard III’s remains in a local car park, Leicester City Council commissioned the renovation of a major new visitor centre.
King Richard III Visitor Centre
Projects
Overview
In July 2014, the brand-new King Richard III Visitor Centre opened to the public for the first time. Created to celebrate the life of King Richard III, the centre was located on the site of the king’s grave - the city’s most sensitive archaeological site - and within a former grammar school.
Before opening, the centre had undergone a major £4.5m renovation. The project had been procured through SCAPE’s East Midlands Property Alliance (empa) framework and delivered in collaboration with Morgan Sindall.
This included two new floors of exhibition space, a courtyard garden, glass entrance hall, viewing balcony, café and visitor entry. All work had to be carried out to protect and preserve the original features and existing heritage assets.
As a result of SCAPE’s close collaboration with Morgan Sindall, appointed designers, archaeologists and the Richard III society, the visitor centre opened just 18 months after the late King’s remains were first discovered.
Since opening, the centre has played a key part in re-invigorating Leicestershire’s tourism industry. It has also been credited with several awards including:
- ProCon Awards 2014 - Large Non-Residential Scheme of the Year
- Construction News Awards 2015 - Project of the Year (below £10m)
- Built Environment Awards 2014 - Best Non-Residential Development and Project of the Year
95%
Local spend within 40 miles
80%
Local labour within 40 miles
90%
Waste diverted from landfill
Gallery
"The Visitor Centre provides the setting for an innovative and exciting exhibition which has preserved the archaeology of the grave area in a respectful manner."
Louise Seymour, Head of Developments at Leicester City Council
