Borders museum gets off to a racing start

MORE than 10,000 visitors have already passed through a new museum dedicated to Formula 1 legend Jim Clark in Duns in the Scottish Borders.  

Designed by the local council’s in-house architects, led by Ray Cherry, the project was delivered through a traditional procurement method. Funding was provided by Scottish Borders Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Museums Galleries Scotland and The Jim Clark Trust. 

Jim Clark won the F1 world championship in 1963, then repeated the feat two years later – the same year he won the Indianapolis 500. Tragically, he died in 1968 in a racing accident at Hockenheim in Germany at the age of just 32. 

The museum was officially opened earlier this year by Sir Jackie Stewart OBE. Principal contractor on the project was James Swinton & Co.

The facility is described as a ‘careful fusion’ of a B-Listed Georgian villa and coach house which was in need of attention. The original Jim Clark Memorial Room was located in part of the ground floor of the villa but was unable to display the full collection of trophies and memorabilia due to space restrictions.  

A double-height link, clad externally in black zinc, is recessed from the villa’s front elevation. Internally, the building has been completely remodelled with the ground floor opened up by undertaking substantial structural interventions. The central vertical circulation to the original building has been removed completely in favour of exhibition space, while the rear corner of the villa has been cut out at ground floor level, leaving the entire building cantilevering over the circular reception desk. The redevelopment also included creation of administrative offices and archival spaces.