When it came to circulation, the existing floorplan had to remain untouched because of the building’s listed status and so its essential form remains: a central space with six alcoves, three to each side. Rather than covering these natural assets, the new concept sought to reveal and celebrate the building’s structure, adding to it via a raw and honest material palette that draws inspiration from these materials, as well as from the weaponry and armour housed on public exhibition on the floors above. Kinnersley Kent Design’s new concept was inspired by the aesthetic of The White Tower itself and the building’s innate theatre and character, with its high vaulted ceilings and wonderful raw stonework, geologically-analysed as being made up of thirteen different types of stone from the various periods of its life. The key challenge was achieving these transformations without touching the building fabric of this Grade I Scheduled Ancient Monument in any way. The brief for the redesign had four key aims: first, to create an exciting and engaging retail experience secondly, to improve customer flow and circulation thirdly, to take a sympathetic approach to enhance the natural theatre and character of the building and fourth and finally to facilitate product merchandising, using individual or grouped product narratives. The White Tower contains several floors of weaponry and armour and visitors exit via the 900 sq ft gift shop, which sells an incredible 370,000 pieces of merchandise per annum. Visitor numbers passing through The White Tower average around 7,000 per day, made up of 80% international tourists and 20% domestic UK tourists. In modern times, it represents the most complete survival of an eleventh century fortress palace anywhere in Europe. Built shortly after the Norman conquest of 1066, and considered an outstanding example of Norman ‘keep’ architecture, its role was to impress and dominate London’s unruly citizens and those who arrived in the kingdom via the River Thames, as well as to house the new Norman King, William the Conqueror. The leading consultancy has now completed a redesign of The White Tower gift shop, located within the oldest building in the Tower of London ensemble, The White Tower. Kinnersley Kent Design has enjoyed a long relationship with Historic Royal Palaces, working on retail strategies and schemes for a number of the charity’s lead attractions. From its 11th century origins as one of the great Norman palaces to the modern day, The Tower of London has always played an important historic role and been a potent symbol of English and British rule. The Tower of London, England’s number one paid-for heritage attraction (source: Visit Britain), falls under the management of Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity by Royal Charter, which runs and manages the six key monuments that make up the collection.
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