In July, the Warburg Institute celebrated the official ground-breaking of the Warburg Renaissance building project with a ceremony attended by the project's key sponsors and supporters.
The Warburg Renaissance promises to restore the Institute’s original mixture of discovery, display and debate, and open its holdings and expertise to new audiences. This vision is set to be realised thanks in large part to the philanthropic support received from trusts and foundations, as well as gifts both large and small from alumni and friends of the Institute.
Those in attendance were particularly touched by the gift of a ceremonial spade adorned with the coats of arms of both London and Hamburg. This gift, from the project’s lead donor Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung, serves as a timely reminder not just of our shared history but of the project’s promise to create a shared future.
Architects Haworth Tompkins joined the celebration and displayed their stunning model, now on display in the Warburg Library Reading Room. In addition, the occasion gave the project’s contractors, Quinn London, a chance to introduce themselves and share their plans for the first phase of construction.
The coming weeks will see the entire building covered with scaffolding and the preparation of Floors 3 and 4 for their new furnishings and finishes. As the spaces have been cleared, the beauty of the building has really come through.
The Institute extends its sincere thanks to all those who have helped to bring this project to fruition. We look forward to providing updates on the progress of the project as it continues.
