Two projects: a new research centre for the museum and redevelopment of the main entrance of the existing museum. Pitt Rivers Museum Main Entrance and Refurbishment A project to redesign the entrance to the Pitt Rivers Museum from the Oxford University Museum to provide a more spectacular impression to the visitor. This was the second phase of the practice's work for the museum following completion of the new research centre on the adjoining site, which also provided improved facilities for the public and educational visitors. The project included new access arrangements for disabled users, education space, display cases, new shops and information point, lighting, re-display of major objects and improvements to environmental conditions. The museum was re-opened to the public in April 2009. The clients brief was for a new building to contain public facilities for Museum visitors, lavatories, lecture and seminar rooms and a special exhibition gallery, a library for students, research areas for staff and visiting academics, conditioned storage for museum objects, conservation and collections management facilities, and offices for academic and administrative staff. Pitt Rivers Research Centre: The site for the building was an area of lean-to buildings and turn of the century corrugated iron huts, built against the walls of the Pitt Rivers Museum, and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. The site was in the curtilage of a Listed Building, and Listed Building consent was required both to demolish the lean-to buildings and corrugated sheds, (which were not listed but of historic interest) and also to demolish the existing staircase of the Pitt Rivers Museum, to allow the new building to adjoin the Pitt Rivers Museum at that point. The Research Centre contains a new staircase, and a lift, which the public can now use to circulate to the upper galleries in the Museum. There was also a small stone gabled addition (originally built onto the Oxford University Museum) but in use by the Pitt Rivers Museum, which was demolished to allow the new building to take a regular form. The challenge was to build a modern building, amongst the existing Victorian museums. The mass of the building, a large volume with a steep roof, was taken from the forms of the adjoining buildings. The long vertical window was designed to make a “break" between the new buildings and the existing stone facade of the Oxford University Museum. The building has a load bearing Hornton stone façade, with timber sliding windows by Rationel. Access to the windows is via a galvanised metal balcony which has also been designed as a sun-shade to the south façade. The structure is steelwork, (which in most areas is exposed) with Omnia concrete planks. The roof is supported on a vast glue-lam beam, and comprises solid timber panels, lined with birch. At the top of the roof is a large rooflight, allowing ventilation and daylight to the large central workspaces. Two voids in the second floor allow daylight to penetrate to the first floor workspace. Before our involvement, the feasibility study proposed a two phased building, over several years, to quite a high budget. We were taken on board and had two weeks to convince the client to do a single building, from the start, and contain the phasing within the finishes inside the building. This approach produced enormous cost and time savings. We were appointed in February 2004. We were out to tender by October 2004 (single stage design and build) having obtained planning and listed building consent, including demolition of the lean-to buildings, and were on site by April 2005, with completion in November 2006. The programme was influenced by the expenditure of SRIF funding which had already been obtained for the project. The project was designed to a very tight budget. The project was Design and Build, and we were novated to the Contractor, but also kept a watching brief for the Client. We have tried very hard to make the building appear good quality, and have had to constantly change materials internally and come up with new, cheaper suggestions. We have used simple materials, and clung onto one or two very strong ideas, comewhat may – imaginative lighting, the big timber roof, carefully sourced and researched stone. The windows are timber instead of steel, as a result of value engineering, but they are very good quality. The landscape is minimalist as there was a minimal budget. It is a very good value building.