Two major Rick Mather Architects' museums reach key construction stage

At the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, Britain's oldest and first public museum, a special topping out ceremony marked the completion of the external frame of the new extension.

Due to open in 2009, the development will provide the museum with 100% more display space comprising 39 galleries. In addition to the new display space, a new entrance from St Giles, an Education Centre, Conservation studios and secure loading bay are also created. The new museum space is built to modern standards, using an environmentally aware and efficient servicing strategy.

Two atria connecting all six storeys 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. At the top of the museum will be Oxford's first city centre rooftop café with stunning views.

Atrium construction in progress

Meanwhile, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts also recently celebrated the Topping Out for the major concrete structure.

Construction will continue on the buildings façade and interiors and the much enlarged museum expects to complete in 2009.

The expansion will add more than 9300m2 (100,000 sq.ft.) to the existing 22300m2 (240,000 sq.ft.) building, along with a new 1.6 hectare (4 acre) sculpture garden. The main entrance will be re-orientated facing the Boulevard, displaying pieces from the museum’s collection. Upon completion, the new museum complex will include extensive new permanent and changing exhibition galleries, educational facilities, visitor service areas, a restaurant, cafe and administrative offices.

The new 600-car park parking deck, also part of the expansion project, has already been completed and is in operation.

For this project, Rick Mather Architects teamed up with Richmond practice SMBW to form Rick Mather + SMBW, LLC.