| Methaphor wins three-year job for Ashmolean Museum |
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| Design Week August 2005 |
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Oxford's Ashmolean Museum has appointed London exhibition design consultancy Metaphor to create the gallery displays at its new -look complex, which is being redesigned by Rick Mather Architects. |
| Metaphor was appointed to the three-year project at the end of last month, following multiple pitches against seven international groups, including: Cassan Mann, Real Studios, Applebaum and Land Design Studio. The final shortlist was whittled down to Casson Mann and Metaphor, with the latter awarded the work for an undisclosed fee. |
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The task is to create displays for the Ashmolean's multiple collections - some 60 000 objects - which will be exhibited in 40 interconnecting gallery spaces inside the museum, due to reopen in 2009. |
| 'Mather's
building has given us a good background to create some beautiful displays,'
says Metaphor design director Stephen Greenburg. The architect has created a strategy that will optimise the use of space in the complex of buildings behind the museum's main entrance façade, and add extensive new gallery space and a revised 'primary route'. |
| 'There will be some film involved in the exhibition design, but it is largely an object museum. The Ashmolean is about crossing times and civilisations, and its content gives us a great opportunity to engage the audience,' says Greenburg |
| Mike Exon |