Public engagement in museum design has been widely discussed and practiced. Public engagement not only inspires the participants’ interests and creativity, but also significantly increases the communication between the museum and participants. To date, however, most museum engagement projects have only focused on the exhibition design, while very few projects try to discuss public participation in the architecture design of museum. Therefore, this thesis sets out to find the most appropriate way that members of the public can participate in the architecture design of a museum. To answer this question, the thesis firstly reviews the history of museums, which explains that the purposes of museums have been extended from collection and preservation to exhibition, education and communication. What is more important, public participation in museum exhibition has become a new form of communication that remarkably improves the visitors’ experience. However, there is no doubt that the design of the museum building also plays a vital role in communicating with the local residents. The relationship between the museum building and society is intimate. The focus of the thesis then shifts to the theories of participatory architecture design that normally consists of architects, museum staff and members of the public. The professionals and laypeople normally have quite different knowledge and experience of architecture design. Therefore, a typical difficulty in processing the participatory architecture design is judging and structuring the different ideas. More specifically, one of the key issues of this thesis is how to deal with the power dominance and conflicts in participation that exists in this area. Following this issue, the thesis deduces the relationship between control and communication. On the one hand, the participation should minimise the control that exists in order to offer an open atmosphere for communication; on the other hand, communication should take place under a form/type of control that restricts the powerful or talkative participants from dominating any discussion. Furthermore, the conflict-resolving and collaborative consensus-making activities are two further essential aspects in participation. By comparing many different participation methods, Idea Rating Sheets (IRSs) and Consensus Mapping (CM) are considered as the two most appropriate methods in the architecture design of the museum. Idea Rating Sheets (IRSs) were created by Jason Diceman who is an expert on facilitation and public participation. Diceman has been the Senior Public Consultation Coordinator for the City of Toronto since 2010. Consensus Mapping (CM) is created by Stuart L. Hart, professor emeritus in the Johnson School of Management, Cornell University. He is one of the world's top authorities on the implications of environment and poverty for business strategy. Therefore, the main research question of this thesis is; “What is the performance of IRSs (Idea Rating Sheets) and CM (Consensus Mapping) in resolving conflicts and reaching collaborative consensus in the participatory architecture design of the museum?” It is difficult to describe the performance generally, so the thesis divides the main question into eight sub-questions. Regarding the eight sub-questions, a mixed methods research approach has been adopted: questionnaires, interviews and observations. Meanwhile, there are two pilot studies: 1) the testing of IRSs performance in judgment-making; and 2) the testing of questionnaires and interviews. Based on the two pilot studies, the author set up a participation workshop, specifically using the IRSs and CM in the architecture design of Nottingham Natural History Museum, Wollaton Hall. The workshop consists of Phase One (Group A) and Phase Two (Group B). The two phases have slightly different features in order to test the performance of IRSs and CM in different situations. Each group consists of an architect, a member of the museum staff, several local residents, a facilitator and an observer. Although this thesis mainly studies the participatory architecture design, the participants in the workshop actually discussed both architecture and exhibition design. By analysing the large amount of data collected, it can be argued that: 1) IRSs quantitatively and qualitatively support the production of options and judgments; 2) IRSs benefit the equal chance of expression, but the facilitator should also ask the participants individually for their responses; and 3) IRSs encourage the participants to express in-depth ideas and transfer any conflicts that emerge to achieve consensus. In addition to these points, the thesis also discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using the workshop and mixed research methods in the participation study. The conclusion of this thesis not only offers practical suggestions for participatory architecture design, but also informs potential future research topics.

This research tests the role of architecture in the experience of young people’s engagement with public libraries. It identifies interaction with both university students and non-students in the 16-25 age group as being of key importance to the library service, and hence to the built environments through which it is delivered. Interrogation of relevant literature demonstrates that libraries exist at the boundary of multiple disciplines, and have been subject to study through various methodologies. Consequently, terms are identified that locate the experience of libraries appropriately within the architectural field. This is built upon by a second review phase that links the research to previous work in the thematic areas inductively generated from its extensive body of primary data. The rationale for a qualitative and spatially-cued approach to data collection is established through an interpretivist framework, which posits that the meanings attached to reality are the product of social action and revision. This advances the initial premise that preconceptions as to the appearance, contents, occupants and functions that constitute a library pose challenges to young people’s participation in new architectural experiences. The findings reveal the complexity of library preconceptions that young people carry with them, as well as the social and spatial information they interact with and interpret when making the physical and mental journey from city to service interaction. Furthermore, due to the inclusion of a student participant group, what has emerged carries implications for the design of academic libraries in addition to public libraries. The study concludes that lines of sight, noise transfer, and the expectations of young people create complex patterns of interpretation that prevent modern library architecture from being immutable: it is judged against the architectural experiences of memory, against media and fictional representations, and according to the socio-spatial interior conditions of any given moment.

There is a growing interest in developing systems for displaying museum artefacts as well as historic buildings and materials. This work connects with this interest by creating a 3D interactive display for Fishbourne Roman Palace Museum, West Sussex, England. The research aimed to create a reconstruction of the Palace as it would have been at its height, a reconstruction that was interactive in the sense that museum visitors would be able to walk through the buildings and local grounds and experience the site in a way not possible through traditional museum displays. The inclusion of the interactive element prompted the incorporation of game engines as a means of visualising and navigating around the reconstructed 3D model of the Palace. There are numerous game engines available, and the research evaluated a selection with respect to their functionality, cost, and ease of use. It also applied a technology readiness method to assess potential users’ response to the incorporation of different degrees of interactivity. Research was undertaken regarding the appearance of the Palace and, based on the available archaeology and relevant artistic interpretations, a model was created using Autodesk Maya software. This model was exported into each of the possible game engines, and a comparison was made based of each engine’s audio, visual, and functional fidelity, as well as composability and accessibility. The most appropriate engine is chosen based on these results. With reference to the assessment criteria, the hardware and software is in preparation for installation at the Fishbourne Roman Palace Museum. The Technology Readiness Index was applied to determine the effectiveness of such a display compared to a non-interactive representation, a study that concludes that a highly interactive display may not be the most sensible solution for the majority of visitors.

The study investigates how museum and gallery buildings can be designed to give functional longevity and appeal. It considers this in terms of their design and relation to their surroundings and use in the context of changing social, cultural, political and economic factors. Post World War II the typological design and layout of these buildings was challenged; partly as a result of the influence of modernism and also as new modes of art production challenged the spaces and display modes. Financial instability and class perception have always been problematic and increased public expectations add to issues that need addressing. The study investigates how these factors have impacted on these buildings and if this has influenced their design and use. It considers the regional context of the West Midlands and also draws comparisons to other areas in England to investigate ways of addressing contemporary issues to achieve longevity of use. The study considers the historical influence of the typological developments. Examples from the West Midlands and investigation of the area’s historical background are used to identify if regional idiosyncrasies exist and if these influence a building’s longevity. This establishes their contemporary context and objectively reviews the resulting implications of appearance and function in relation to the social, cultural and economic issues that may be dominant within this region. A qualitative interview methodology and analysis is used to examine the views of a multidisciplinary group of museum and gallery users, capturing a snapshot in time of their views on the appearance, understanding and use of these buildings. This information is analysed and discussed in conjunction with the findings of the relevant literature. The comparison of the information researched raises regional and national issues associated to design and use of these buildings. Four key themes related to the longevity of use emerged; architectural design, location, economic viability and inclusivity.