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Hugh Broughton MaidstoneThe gorgeous <a href="http://www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk/" target="_blank">Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery</a> is a historic Tudor manor house that has been renovated by <a href="http://www.hbarchitects.co.uk" target="_blank">Hugh Broughton Architects</a> to include a gleaming series of modern extensions. The new glass and copper-clad East Wing extension will ensure the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/exit-architects-gave-an-historical-museum-in-spain-a-delightful-green-upgrade/" target="_blank">long-term preservation of the museum</a>’s extensive collection, and it allows more visitors to enjoy the museum and the grounds.1
Hugh Broughton MaidstoneThe original structure is an ornate red brick <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-gilded-age-boldt-castle-in-upstate-new-york-sits-on-its-own-island/" target="_blank">Elizabethan manor</a> that was built in 1561.2
Hugh Broughton MaidstoneThe building has been a museum since 1858, and it now houses a collection of over 600,000 artifacts and specimens.3
Hugh Broughton MaidstoneIt was important for the Maidstone’s Council to commission a museum extension that would safeguard the longevity of the collection, so they turned to <a href="http://www.hbarchitects.co.uk" target="_blank">Hugh Broughton Architects</a>4
Hugh Broughton MaidstoneGold copper alloy shingles criss-cross either side of the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/d-hotel-historic-windmill-transformed-into-a-modern-designer-retreat/" target="_blank">historic entrance</a> with a shimmering fish scale pattern - and each shingle was hand-cut on-site.5
Hugh Broughton MaidstoneThe golden shingles mimic the artifacts in the collection, as well as the heavy leaden windows of the original manor.6
Hugh Broughton MaidstoneBroughton’s extension adds a new entrance on Maidstone’s busy High Street, as well as a study area over the garden, new gallery space, and a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-f-residence-by-edward-suzuki-is-a-stunning-green-oasis-flooded-with-natural-light/" target="_blank">plant-filled public courtyard</a> that offers a striking view of the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/norway-green-roof-homes/" target="_blank">historic manor house</a>.7
