Carmody Groarke won the competition to redevelop the Windermere Steamboat Museum in the Lake District National Park.

The project aims to create an exciting and active museum that will use the lake and the stunning lakeside setting to display the nationally significant collection of steam launches, motor boats, yachts and other vessels, which are all associated with Windermere.

Carmody Groarke were selected from a very strong shortlist, which included (in alphabetical order): Adam Khan Architects, Niall McLaughlin Architects, Terry Pawson Architects, Reiach and Hall Architects, 6a Architects, Sutherland Hussey Architects and Witherford Watson Mann Architects.

The judging panel felt that Carmody Groarke had produced a memorable and sensitive set of design proposals, which demonstrated an excellent understanding of the multi-faceted nature of the Brief and the Trust's requirements. The conflicting demands of providing a functional museum to house, display and conserve the historic boat collection within a facility that will create a high-quality visitor experience and have broad audience appeal to encourage repeat visits had been addressed particularly well. The simple forms of the cantilevered buildings were considered to resonate well with the heritage of the site, as well as the Lakeland landscape and steamboat architecture.

Gordon Watson, Chief Executive of the Lakeland Arts Trust:

"The competition attracted a great deal of interest and Carmody Groake are very worthy winners from an excellent shortlist. Their fresh and distinctive design is an inspired response to the heritage of the beautiful site beside Lake Windermere and the requirements for the Museum and the nationally important collection of boats, which are all associated with Windermere. We are looking forward to working with Carmody Groarke to develop the project as a major attraction in the heart of the Lake District."

"RIBA Competitions and Stuart McKnight, as our architect adviser, ably guided our trust through the competition process for the Windermere Steamboat Museum. This is an important and sensitive project on a stimulating site in the Lakeland District National Park and the competition enabled us to produce an excellent shortlist from 114 expressions of interest. We wanted to appoint a world class design team and were delighted to select Carmody Groakes as architects. The designs secured planning consent in 2013 and the museum is due to open in 2018"