The BFI National Archive has one of the largest and most significant film and television archive collections in the world. Our brief was complex but at the centre of this project was a wish to make the collection, together with newly emerging screen culture, fundamentally accessible and engaging both physically and virtually to everyone.

We began with a collaborative onsite “look and listen” process, combining close observation of the site with workshops and discussions to understand the existing visitor journey, operational constraints and the emotional significance of Heartbreak Pier. From this, we developed and tested a series of tailored design options using plans, spatial studies, and 3D sketches to explore how modest but carefully targeted interventions could strengthen the experience and support increased visitor numbers.