We are delighted to announce that Kew Gardens Great Pagoda has been ‘Highly Commended’ in the 2019 Museums & Heritage Awards (Restoration or Conservation Project of the Year’ category).

The Great Pagoda, located at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, is the most important Chinoiserie-style building in Europe. It is a ten-storey brick tower with octagonal plan form and roofs and balconies rising in diminishing stages. After five years of research and investigation it has undergone a major restoration, led by Austin-Smith:Lord on behalf of Historic Royal Palaces, with the aim of returning it to the original vision. This includes the reintroduction of eighty dragon sculptures on the roofs. It has now re-opened to the public for the first time in thirty years.

David Millar, Head of Conservation at Austin-Smith:Lord said “We are delighted that all the hard work to bring the Pagoda story to life and reinstate the dragons has been acknowledged by the Museums and Heritage judges last night. Thanks to all involved!”

Our congratulations go to all the other shortlisted projects, and of course the category winner which was the Old Royal Naval College Painted Hall project.

You can find out more about the Kew Gardens Great Pagoda project at this link: https://www.austinsmithlord.com/projects/the-great-pagoda-kew-gardens/

Take a look at some of our other conservation projects here: https://www.austinsmithlord.com/service/conservation/