The Museum of London has announced today (4 April) the six architectural teams shortlisted to design its new museum in a Victorian market hall complex.

The museum, which has a construction budget of around £150m (US$214, €188m), will be located in a 25,000sq m (269,000sq ft) collection of buildings in West Smithfield, providing much-needed extra space for its enormous archaeological archive and thousands of exhibits exploring the history of London.

An international design competition has been organised by Malcolm Reading Consultants, with 80 teams and 140 practices entering the first stage.

The following six teams have been shortlisted:

- BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group (DK) with HawkinsBrown (UK)

- Caruso St John Architects (UK)

- Diener & Diener Architekten (CH) with Sergison Bates Architects (UK)

- Lacaton & Vassal Architectes (FR) with Pernilla Ohrstedt Studio (UK)

- Stanton Williams (UK) with Asif Khan (UK)

- Studio Milou architecture (FR) with RL&Associés (FR) and Axis Architects (UK)

According to the competition organisers, the teams were selected “on the basis of relevant skills and experience, particularly, those involved with significant cultural projects which have had a truly transformational impact.”

Sharon Ament, director of the Museum of London, said: “It’s been an intriguing process so far, the range of creative architectural practices who submitted is phenomenal. The shortlist’s mix promises a fascinating next stage when the finalists’ concept designs go on display at the Museum of London this summer.”

The shortlisted practices will now be briefed and asked to produce design concepts which will be displayed in an exhibition at the existing museum building on London Wall, before a winner is selected by the jury.

The museum’s aim is to achieve planning permission, raise the necessary capital funds and deliver the new museum by 2021.