R.B.

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE – IV
SEM-VI

ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM

ROMIL VARAIYA- 51
ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM
Established 1683;
335 years ago
Location Beaumont
Street, Oxford,
England
Coordinates 51.7554°N
1.2600°W
Type University
Museum
of Art and Arch
aeology

INTRODUCTION
The Ashmolean was founded in 1677, when Elias Ashmole, a wealthy
Englishman and avid accumulator, donated his collections to Oxford
University. The original Ashmolean (now housing Oxford’s Museum of
the History of Science) was the first building in Europe constructed
specifically as a public museum.
The building comprises six
storeys, which hold display
space, a new entrance, an
education centre,
conservation studios and a
rooftop terrace. The project
combines double- and single-
height gallery spaces
connected by a series of
walkways and two main
staircases.
 The great south-facing expanse of the building gave it a palatial
appearance, but in fact it was just one bay deep and only contained
a total of 22,000 square feet of exhibition space on three
floors.Later, a lot to the north was acquired, and though the site is
hemmed in by buildings on three sides, the museum gained
another 28,000 square feet by constructing a series of glass-roofed,
cast-iron industrial sheds there.

Lightwells are incorporated into the staircases at

either end of the building, naturally lighting the
gallery spaces.
STAIRCASE
Two staircase lightwells are naturally lit, one by a
large rooflight, the other with a 5.5 metre high
window. Natural light is filtered vertically through the
building to the lower ground level via inter-
connecting, double-height galleries. A new grassed
rooftop café terrace gives views over the 'dreaming
spires' of Oxford.
 The great south-facing expanse of the building gave
it a palatial appearance, but in fact it was just one
bay deep and only contained a total of 22,000 square
feet of exhibition space on three floors.

Later, a lot to the

north was acquired,
and though the site
is hemmed in by
buildings on three
sides, the museum
gained another
28,000 square feet
by constructing a
Right now there are 39 galleries, and 35 series of glass-
of them display the permanent collection. roofed, cast-iron
Contains jewels , paintings , relics , industrial sheds
interests of ashmole , textile products and there.
much more.
 PLAN

2) 20 MTx5MT
1)15Mtx5MT
CIRCULATION 10MTx5MT
3) 12.5MTx5MT

SCRAPING OUT THE OLDEST PART

PLAN

A PERFECT GRID IS FORMED

WHERE ALL THE LINES ARE
EQUIDISTANT FROM THE
EDGE OF THE WALLS OR
WHERE THERE ARE
JUNCTION OR CREVICES.
PLAN

ORTHOGONAL CIRCULATION
ELONGATED AND FROM A
POINT EVERYTHING SEEMS
TO BE VISIBLE FOR THAT
BARRIERS ARE MADE
AROUND ATRIUM TO CREATE
A GATHERING SPACE
 PLAN

2) 20 MTx5MT
1)15Mtx5MT
CIRCULATION 10MTx5MT
3) 12.5MTx5MT

SCRAPING OUT THE OLDEST PART

 PLAN

2) 20 MTx5MT
1)15Mtx5MT
CIRCULATION 10MTx5MT
3) 10MTx5MT

SCRAPING OUT THE OLDEST PART

 PLAN

2) 20 MTx5MT
1)15Mtx5MT
CIRCULATION 10MTx5MT
3) 5MTx2.5MT

SCRAPING OUT THE OLDEST PART

PLAN
SQUARE, SYMMETRICAL APPEARANCE
FACADE
SYMMETRICAL AROUND VERTICAL AXIS. SURMOUNTED BY A PEDIMENT AND ORGANISED BY A SYSTEM
OF PILASTERS, ARCHES AND ENTABLATURES. THE COLUMNS AND WINDOWS SHOW A PROGRESSION
TOWARDS THE CENTRE.
ARCHES
ARCHES ARE SEMI-CIRCULAR OR SEGMENTAL.

VAULTS
VAULTS DO NOT HAVE RIBS. THEY ARE SEMI-
CIRCULAR OR SEGMENTAL AND ON A SQUARE
PLAN
DOORS AND WINDOWS
DOORS USUALLY HAVE SQUARE LINTELS. THEY
MAY BE SET WITHIN AN ARCH OR SURMOUNTED
BY A TRIANGULAR OR SEGMENTAL PEDIMENT.
OPENINGS THAT DO NOT HAVE DOORS ARE
USUALLY ARCHED AND FREQUENTLY HAVE A
LARGE OR DECORATIVE KEYSTONE.
WALLS
EXTERNAL WALLS ARE GENERALLY CONSTRUCTED OF BRICK, RENDERED, OR FACED WITH STONE IN
HIGHLY FINISHED ASHLAR MASONRY, LAID IN STRAIGHT COURSES. THE CORNERS OF BUILDINGS ARE
OFTEN EMPHASISED BY RUSTICATED QUOINS.
DETAILS
COURSES, MOULDINGS AND ALL DECORATIVE DETAILS ARE CARVED WITH GREAT PRECISION.
 PLACEMENT OF WINDOWS HORIZONTAL STRETCH

2.5 MTS

5 MTS

5 MTS

2.5 MTS
PLACEMENT
The position of the basement, first, and second floors of the original building set the heights of the
basement, first, and third floors of the new portion. The spaces are organized around a atrium that is on
axis with Cockerell’s double-height entry.

On one side of this atrium, a

series of beautifully crafted
staircases allows patrons to
move from one level to the
next. Bridges located on the
first and third levels span
double-height galleries on the
ground and second floors. No
gallery is more than a few steps
away from the atrium, and
many look into it as well,
enabling daylight to be an
orientation device.