Phillip Tefft

Has conceived, masterplanned and designed museums, exhibitions, and cultural destinations for over 25 years in Ralph Appelabaum Associate’s New York and London studios. He established the London studio in 1998, now comprised of a multidisciplinary team of architects, artists, designers, writers, researchers, and media developers operating globally. His London studio has completed over 150 commissions including the UAE Expo in Shanghai with Foster’s and Partners, the reinterpretation of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, and The Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter, winning the coveted Arts Fund Prize. He has recently opened the award-winning Brooklands Museum, the Horniman Museum’s World Gallery in London, and Lavazza’s Museo del Cafe in Torino. Current projects include “The Whale” in Andenes Norway, and “Troy” at the British Museum. His recent work, including the newly completed Museum of Literature Ireland and Interpretation Masterplans for the new Museum of London and the British Library, searches for powerful emotive connections between heritage, identity and inclusion while exploring how the diverse voices and identities of visitors and communities can take centre stage. Phillip’s upcoming projects, including a new South Asia Gallery at Manchester Museum, and “Shaped by the Sea” at the Australian National Maritime Museum model new ways of working collaboratively with communities to bring deeply humanistic stories to life. Mr Tefft holds an MA from the Columbia University School of Architecture. He is a registered architect in New York, a member of the Architectural Association in London, and of the International Council of Museums. He has lectured at the Architectural Association, The London School of the Arts, Sissa Media Lab in Trieste, and the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.