Project Overview
Armadillo was proud to be a part of the landmark redevelopment of the Mathematics Gallery at the Science Museum, London.
The project formed part of a major reinterpretation of the museum's permanent galleries, creating a contemporary, immersive environment to celebrate the power and beauty of mathematics.
As part of a wider project team, Armadillo was responsible for manufacturing the gallery's most technically demanding elements, the sweeping, flowing forms that define the space.
The installation sits at the heart of the museum, above active public spaces, and acts as both a visual centrepiece and an integral part of the visitor journey.
The Challenge
Nothing about the geometry was simple. Every section of the ribbon forms followed compound curves — nothing repeated, nothing was standard.
The visual expectations were those of a world-class permanent exhibition: seamless joints, flawless finishes, and a result that looked as though it had simply arrived fully formed.
Manufacture and installation had to be carried out within a live museum environment, with strict access, noise and dust constraints. There was no room to problem-solve on-site.
Scope of Work
Armadillo provided fabrication and DFM support across the full build, including:
- Production engineering to break down complex curved geometry into manufacturable components
- Precision CNC machining and profiling of bespoke parts
- Waterjet cutting of complex profiles and interfaces
- Fabrication of curved sub-frames and supporting structures
- Coordination with lighting, structure and adjacent trades
- Installation sequencing to ensure safe and efficient on-site assembly
The Winton Gallery was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, with Base Structures leading the technical drawings and project management. Having worked with Armadillo many times before and knowing our capabilities, Base Structures brought us in to manufacture the most complex elements of the installation, turning engineered drawings into physical reality.
Photo credit: Base Structures
Scale & Delivery
The installation consisted of multiple large-format curved elements, each unique and spanning several metres. With no repeating geometry across the entire piece, every component had to be individually engineered, finished and documented for accurate reassembly on site.
Primary materials were aluminium alloys, chosen for their strength-to-weight ratio and the quality of finish achievable at this scale. Formed and machined sheet materials were used throughout to hold tight curvature tolerances, with all surfaces finished to a standard befitting a permanent public exhibition.
Every component was designed to be transported in sections and reassembled on site. Before anything left the workshop, we built and tested trial versions to check the curves, joints and finishes were exactly right, so that when it came to the installation phase, there were no surprises.
The Outcome
The Mathematics Gallery is now one of the museum's defining spaces.
The installation was delivered on time, to specification, and to a finish appropriate for a permanent, high-footfall exhibition at a world-class institution.
It is the kind of project that sits at the intersection of architectural scale and exhibition-level precision, and the kind of challenge Armadillo is built for.
Whatever the challenge, we'll find a way to build it. Tell us about your project.
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