The design was completed during my first year at the University of Portsmouth, UK.
The brief involved the design of four artists` studios and a gallery on a site in Bath Square, Old Portsmouth. Each studio was to be self contained and accessed discretely from the rest of the building, while the gallery needed to be capable of displaying the work of the artists and accessible to the public. The design also included a cafe associated with the gallery that has access to an external courtyard or garden.
The aim was to design a series of interconnected volumes rather than ‘rooms’.
On one hand the problem of designing such a gallery came from the fact that the site was in the historical part of the city and that there wasn’t enough space for such a public structure, on the other. Therefore the volume of a box was most relevant for the project in order to provide enough space for visitors and exhibitions, while at the same time to be able to combine 4 studios, a gallery space and a café.
The entrance, situated on the main square side, embraces the visitors in the exhibition and guides them towards an open space to have a coffee at the end of the visit.
The studios are separately attached to the gallery and accessed by their own entrance in order not to interfere with the public space.
The inspiration for the curved staircase that connects the two floors came from the existing curved brick wall which was kept as being part of a memorial area along with the benches at the front of the café.
The inclined elements on the facades further enhance the vivacity of the building.
Inspired by the principle of a sustainable and green building in a future realization of the project the design proposal would include the use of carbon dioxide absorbing concrete and recycled glass products.

2009

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