Cambridge Medical School building

To many architects of the Arts and Crafts Movement, 19th-century classicism had the advantage of continuing a long tradition of craftsmanship.

The building is basically L shaped in plan, with a long arm along Downing Street and the museum wing set at a skew.

The entrance is at the east end and is formed by a semi-circular arch with stepped windows above that light the stairwell.

There is a high parapet on the façade with the coat of arms of Professors George Murray Humphry and John Willis Clark.

The rear elevation, again of three stories above a basement, had pairs of segmental headed separated by vertical panels of stone.

In layout, the building has axial corridors with research rooms, laboratories and offices on the ground floor and a large windowless lecture theatre.

Funds were raised by the University some 10 to 15 years after the death of Sir George to build the museum to commemorate his role in the development of modern surgery, post-operative care and hygiene.

The staircase is of Hopton Wood stone with curved angles to the treads to minimise the collection of dirt and ease cleaning.

Throughout the building every detail was designed to minimise potential sources of infection and dirt collection; for example, the doors and fittings have no mouldings.

The air was washed, cleaned, screened and warmed before being distributed by fans along ducts and flues within the walls of the building.

Prior designed the rolling stack book-shelving of the library, all the laboratory furniture, doors and fittings, and so on.