21st Century Gallery in a ParkThe first six months

(November 2012 – April 2013)

The cartway with original cobbled floor

Lions’ Den emptied for handover to ISG

Breaking ground ceremony Dec 2012

Demolition of the old shop store and fire escape

ISG lay a ‘haul’ road to bring in site vehicles and keep mud off the highway

Creating a temporary fire escape at the back of the galleries

Piling starts for the foundations

Piles in place in readiness for the main crane

Digging out the slab in the Lions’ Den

Strip out of the exhibition galleries

Bagging up the old loliondo flooring

View from the Whitworth Park

Laying foundations for the staff entrance

Pouring concrete for the staff entrance

Earth tubes ready to be laid in the ground for ventilation

Strip out of the Lecture Theatre

The barrel vault ceiling revealed in the exhibition galleries

Original Edwardian features

Service trenches under the Collections Store

The main crane arrives on site

Floor slab - kitchen

Learning studio with Art Garden to left

Footprint of Clore Learning studio

Staff entrance with window onto loading bay

Walls go up on Study Centre