THE BRITISH MUSEUM
The British Museum opened its doors in 1759 and has had numerous additions throughout its 257 year history. The result is an eclectic mix of architecture which fuses together to create one of the greatest museums in the world.
This case study will focus on three of the main developments made to the museum, the Quadrangle, the Reading Room and the Great Court.
The link below will take you to a timeline of the building's history:
CASE STUDY 1- LAYERS OF IDENTITY:
THE QUADRANGLE:
By 1816 space in the museum was becoming tight and renowned architect Sir Robert Smirke was employed. Smirke's building was built in the Greek Revival style which was fashionable the time, but its use for museum design was innovative. The most prominent Greek features seen on the museum are the columns, doorways and pediment on the South entrance which show direct influences from the temple of Athena Polias in Greece (Anderson, 2009, pp15-21). This style became popularised due to the rediscovery of the ancient world as it was during this time that the British Museum acquired the Parthenon sculptures which were bought from Greece by Lord Elgin (Anderson, 2000, p15).
The building was constructed at a time where the country was at peace and was leading the world in trade and economic development. With the introduction of new transport such as steam trains, large and heavy materials could be transported great distances. This made it possible for Smirke's edifice to be constructed out of Portland stone, creating a grand aesthetic which was at the height of innovation and fashion.
Smirke's quadrangle forms the main structure of the museum to which other interventions have been added.
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THE READING ROOM:
Sir Robert Smirke's brother, Sydney Smirke was later commissioned to construct the Reading Room which stood in the centre of Sir Robert's courtyard and was completed in 1857.
The dome structure was influenced by the Parthenon in Rome which was built in 126 AD as a temple for the gods. Though this was different to the rest of the museum, it successfully fit within context of the building as it “follows the classical design of the rest of the museum” (Caygill, 2000, p12)
The bold design made “innovative use of cast iron”, a product of the industrial revolution which was rapidly changing Britain at the time and was used by Smirke for its ability to span long distances and possibilities of prefabrication (Caygill, 2000 p12). The 42.6m diameter building is supported by twenty two iron ribs spaced equidistantly around its circumference supported by a concrete foundation (Anderson, 2009, p25). Other innovative techniques such as the latest heating and ventilation systems were also used to create the masterpiece. The British Museum (2016) describe the Reading Room as being a “masterpiece of mid-nineteenth century technology”.
THE GREAT COURT:
In 2000 the museum unveiled its greatest redevelopment designed by “internationally renowned architectural firm” Foster and Partners (Anderson, 2005, p40). The addition of the great court, which utilised the space between the Reading Room and Smirke's building is a combination of redevelopment and conservation. This space was previously inaccessible to the public, so was a logical method for solving the museum's circulation issues.
Foster’s motives for the build were to reveal hidden space, revise old space and create new space without interfering with the existing buildings. In his book about the Great Court, Anderson describes Foster's vision for the project was to create a "memorable but modern building that would blend with the splendour of Sir Robert Smirke's Neo-Grecian temple of antiques" (Anderson, 2009, p14)
Foster and Partners covered the courtyard with a with steel and glass roof. The design exploits modern technology and would not have been possible without the use of computer software, meaning the Great Court could not have been completed at any other point in history.
ANALYSIS:
With the Museum now attracting almost 7 million visitors per year (British Museum, 2016) the museum has a vibrant atmosphere, particularly evident in the Great Court.
It is clear that architects have all set out to achieve the same common objective: to preserve the history of the Museum and prepare it for the future. Each architect has designed with an awareness of the existing building fabric, but adopted materials, styles and techniques which were at the peak of innovation at the time. This means the museum has clearly distinguishable layers which allows the Museum's history to be read like a narrative through interventions which captured their zeitgeist.
This creates a building with unique and vibrant identity which has influences from all around the world. This results in a building that could not be more appropriate to house world artefacts, as it is a world artefact in itself.
