The contract the latest phase of capital development for east London’s Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch has been won by Wright & Wright architects who beat a shortlist of 50 others.

East London Advertiser: Geffrye Almshouses in 1906Geffrye Almshouses in 1906 (Image: Geffrye Museum)

Their scheme includes new spaces for the museum’s unique furniture collections and for its library, gallery, café and conference facilities. A new entrance opposite Hoxton station is also included.

Museum director David Dewing said: “The architects have a strong record of work with heritage buildings, sensitive sites and complex problems. We are confident they will take care to preserve the unique qualities of the Geffrye, while introducing new elements essential for the museum’s future.”

The appointment follows competitive tendering with 140 expressions of interest and 50 applications from national and architectural practices.

But architect Clare Wright from Camden Town won the day. She said: “This is a much-needed project that will make sure this wonderful place will be there for generations to come. Preserving its special ambience is the architectural challenge.”

The museum in Kingsland Road, now in its centenery year, had a record 110,000 visitors in 2013. It was built as almshouses 300 years ago and became a museum in 1914 to commemorate the East End’s vibrant furniture trade at the time.