Our design for this new gallery in the Grade 1 listed museum, with some of the paintings hung behind vertical display cases, and others rolled out in horizontal cases, was influenced by the dimensions of the artworks and the strict environmental controls. We were limited by the width of the thin courtyard site. By dividing the space vertically in two, we took advantage of an existing lower level and ran a gallery around the three sides. The upper level maximises the width of the site, and the lower level is conceived as an exquisite and durable piece of joinery, reflecting the quality of the displayed works. Storage for the works is also provided. Of the former Ashmolean this gallery is the only part, other than that designed by Cockerell, which was retained in the recent reconstruction of the museum.
