Natural History Museum Surveys

The London team completed Natural History Museum surveys for a stand-out project! Located in the heart of London, the the South Kensington venue is a world-class visitor attraction and leading science research centre. 

Francis Fowke, the architect who designed the Royal Albert Hall and parts of the Victoria and Albert Museum, won a competition to design the Natural History Museum in 1864. After his untimely death a year later the project was taken over by Alfred Waterhouse. With so much history here, it was an honour to be asked to complete a full package of surveys including a measured building survey, plus topographic, underground, drainage and utilities surveys of the surrounding grounds.  

A Full Range of Solutions for the Iconic Natural History Museum  

The building, constructed entirely of terracotta to be more resistant to Victorian London’s harsh climate, incorporates an incredible series of animal and plant ornaments, statues and relief carvings on the detailed façades and throughout the entire interior. The result is one of Britain’s most striking examples of Romanesque architecture, widely considered a work of art in its own right and one of London’s most iconic landmarks. 

The measured building survey was carried out using the latest laser scanners to create a full high-definition 3D point cloud as the base to generate a digital model of the building. From this model any data and drawing required could be supplied to the design team.  

The topographical survey was undertaken alongside an underground investigation showing the subsurface features, drainage and utilities. The results provided the much- needed information for the design and restoration teams and have also provided a valuable and interesting record of this fascinating building.