A sketch from a recent visit to the Soane Museum. The handkerchief vault really feels like it is floating in light!
Sir John Soane’s museum is an unusual and incredibly interesting museum for anybody who is into neo-classical architecture. The museum is in Holborn, Central London and it is easily accessible by public transportations. Built in 1837, the building hasn’t essentially changed since its construction due to an Act of Parliament that stated the building should be maintained in its current condition, ironically to protect the building from Soane’s old son with whom the architect had has a long time feud.
Soane’s himself treated the building as an architectural laboratory where he tested his theories. One of the peculiarities of this building is that most of its natural daylight is drawn from the top, making it an absolute must for anyone who interested in daylight.
One of the most interesting aspects of daylight coming from the top (or technically speaking the “zenith”) is that it is very intense during overcast days. Anybody living in Britain knows that skies are usually very cloudy, and skylights tend to shine with this condition.
I spent some time in the museum on my own during my lighting studies at the UCL and I sketched the Breakfast Room whose most prominent feature is the famous “handkerchief vault”.
Soane’s canopy dome meant to inspire the feeling of a weightless ceiling, like an inflated handkerchief that seems to be floating over the room. The effect in real life is very dramatic.
The dome is shallow and develops from a squared base, a typical theme in Soane’s architecture.
The same design was later incorporated in other iconic designs such as Soane’s own tomb and the traditional red telephone box.
A virtual tour of the museum can be taken here.