The home of London's Design Museum on the Thames Embankment in Shad Thames has the appearance of a 1930's art deco building.  It is in fact a 1980s redesign of a former banana ripening warehouse.  The building is owned by Terrance Conran who is also a financial backer of the museum.  On July 9, 2013, the Guardian reported that the building had, "... been sold to Zaha Hadid's architecture practice .... The sale will provide a boost – estimated to be in the region of £10m – to fundraising for the museum's planned £80m move to the Commonwealth Institute in west London. .... In a statement, Hadid said the building would be an opportunity "to consolidate our archive in a single location". It would also be used for architecture exhibitions where "the research and innovation of global collaborations in art, architecture and design" could be put on display."

The museum describes itself as, "... the leading museum devoted to contemporary architecture and design in the UK. Through its engaging exhibitions, learning programme and events, the museum aims to inspire everyone to understand the value of design and the vital contribution it makes to society and the economy."