Owen Sisk, Performance Director, Ajaz Shafi, Managing Director Southern Region and Stephen Bowcott CEO of John Sisk & Son were among the guests who welcomed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the Royal Academy of Arts, London on Tuesday 20^th March to mark the completion of its major redevelopment ahead of the public opening of the new Royal Academy on 19^th May 2018.

John Sisk & Son is delivering the project in the Royal Academy’s 250th anniversary year using innovative digital technology on a complex redevelopment and restoration.

John Sisk & Son commenced building works in October 2015, creating a link between Burlington House and Burlington Gardens, uniting the two-acre campus. Works have included installing the largest temporary roof structure in London to enable the careful conservation of the Burlington Gardens façade, along with the redevelopment of the interior to create new exhibition spaces, a Clore Learning Centre and Benjamin WestLecture Theatre.

The Queen entered the Royal Academy through the refurbished Burlington Gardens entrance and was led on a tour by the President of the Royal Academy Christopher Le Brun, where she viewed the new Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries and unveiled the first painting to be hung in the new spaces, Self-portrait of Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A (c.1780), painted by the RA’s founding President. Christopher Le Brun PRA then presented The Queen with a commemorative coin designed by Sir David Chipperfield RA and struck by the Royal Mint in celebration of the RA’s anniversary.

Since 2015, with construction led by John Sisk & Son, the Royal Academy has been undergoing a transformative redevelopment for its 250^th anniversary year in 2018. Designed by the internationally-acclaimed architect Sir David Chipperfield RA and supported by the National Lottery, the new Royal Academy of Arts will reveal the elements that make the RA unique, sharing with the public the historic treasures in its Collection, the work of its Royal Academicians and the RA Schools, alongside its world-class exhibitions programme. BNY Mellon is the 250^th Anniversary Partner of the Royal Academy.

One of the most significant outcomes of the redevelopment is the link between Burlington House and Burlington Gardens, uniting the two-acre campus. This will provide 70% more space than the original Burlington House footprint, enabling the Academy to expand its exhibition and events programme and to create new and free displays of art and architecture across the campus for visitors, throughout the year.

John Sisk & Son is an innovative, international, engineering and construction company. John Sisk & Son is a progressive business with long term vision, operating since 1859 and Ireland’s No1 provider of construction services with extensive operations across Ireland, the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. Sisk has the track record, scale and capacity to successfully undertake large, complex, multidisciplinary programmes and is recognised by its global customers as world leaders in safe and effective delivery.  Based on a strong financial platform, Sisk’s strategy is to create value for customers, partners and people through its technical knowledge, ability and experience to:

• Collaborate with customers and supply chain to provide technical and delivery solutions in an open and can-do way to meet aligned objectives
• Offer a full range of solutions where safety, innovation, quality, efficiency and value are integral to everything.
• Deliver projects and programmes in key sectors such as Data and Technology, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, Infrastructure, Transportation, Healthcare, Commercial, Residential, Retail, Industrial, Leisure, Education, Water and Energy.
• See www.johnsiskandson.com or @SiskGroup on twitter for more

For the Royal Academy of Arts project, Sisk have used innovative digital technology to manage a complex refurbishment.

Pictured above: Owen Sisk, Director & Stephen Bowcott CEO of John Sisk & Son among guests welcome Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the Royal Academy of Arts. Photo and Copyright: Thomas Alexander