Ashmolean Museum
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Main circulation staircase
Andy Matthews (website) Download Original
A six-storey addition to the existing Ashmolean museum, which provides new spaces for one of the most extensive art and archeology collections in the UK
Commissioned by Oxford University the addition provides display space, a new entrance from St Giles, an education centre, conservation studios and loading bay. The museum space is built to modern standards, using an environmentally aware and efficient servicing strategy.
The building is organised by two major axes established by Cockerell (who designed the original Greek Revival Building to which the extension is attached), creating a clear route throughout the building and unifying the entire museum and collection in a coherent manner.
Two staircase lightwells are naturally lit with large windows and roof lights. Natural light is filtered vertically through the building to the lower ground level via inter-connecting, double-height galleries. A new rooftop café terrace gives views over the 'dreaming spires' of Oxford.
Data
- Begun: Mar 2007
- Completed: Nov 2009
- Floor area: 10,000m2
- Sector: Arts and culture
- Total cost: £61M
- Procurement: JCT 98
- CO2 Emissions: 44.3kg/m2/year
- Address: Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Rick Mather Architects
- Project architect: Rick Mather
- Client: University of Oxford
- Lighting consultant: Kevan Shaw Lighting
- Gallery Designer: Metaphor
- Structural engineer: Dewhurst Macfarlane and Partners
- Main contractor: BAM Construct UK Ltd
- Quantity surveyor: Gardiner & Theobald
- Planning Supervisor : Gardiner & Theobald
- Project manager: Gardiner & Theobald
- M&E engineer: Atelier 10
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