Finalised design

I decided to rearrange and compact the layout slightly, so that the buildings end when the site narrows. The space behind will be terraced out and made into a public area which can be accessed via the back street.

Left: Ground floor
Center: First floor
Right: Apartment mezzanine level
All plans scale: 1:500

Key: 1.Entrance
2.Main Gallery
3.Projection Room
4.Office
5.Long Gallery
6.Gallery space(s)
7.Bath/toilet
8.Lounge
9.Storage
10.Workshop
11.Apartment living
12.Bedroom
13.Veranda

Above: ground floor plan.

Above: first floor plan; below: apartment mezzanine level detail.


The main gallery entrance was moved to the mezzanine level, to further emphasize the distinction between the two worlds that is the street outside, and the exhibition space inside. The door is placed on the side, so that it is not even visible from the street front. This is to create a sense of privacy, and also the body must make a series of left turns to access the building, playing with the idea of journey and slowing down circulation.

I swapped the long gallery to the right side, and the walkway is now placed down the left. This created a more winding path, and the walkway has become more closed off, like a corridor, or interior space on its own. Again, the courtyard shape imitates the slant of the street. The long gallery's room layout has also been compacted slightly. The open double height space now coincides with the lane way, creating a separate more private entrance for special events etc., in case visitors need to bypass the main gallery. Again, this door is placed on a side, not instantly visible from the street. The lounge is still located on the first floor, with a private kitchen, and a bridge linking it to the apartment.




The front façade incorporates a large display cabinet, which can show pedestrians the type of work on show at the moment, without actually letting people see the interior of the building. I have decided to create a solid front without openings to heighten the sense of privacy. An opening on the side imitates the slit on the roof, allowing light to penetrate to the display wall. The slanted wall follows the site's natural slant of the street front.

The end building incorporates a large storage room with apartment above, and a workshop on a half level, creating distinction between the different use of space. The apartment features an open plan living space with a master bedroom and study on a mezzanine level, bathroom and spare bedroom below. The living area opens out to an extensive patio, situated above the workshop, looking towards the terrace. There is also a private entrance to the apartment, up a narrow stair sandwiched between the storage and workshop rooms, with high surrounds. This is to create another corridor experience, heightening privacy.

Above: Eastern elevation with neighbouring building; below: Eastern elevation with neighbouring building removed. The placement of the opening of the lounge, and apartment spaces purposely mirror each other, to create a dialogue between the two structures.


Above: Western elevation with neighbouring building removed, showing the long walkway.

Openings throughout the scheme are rigidly controlled. This is partly to protect the art work/exhibition, and partly for privacy. The storage area and video installation exhibition space especially, have minimal light access. The shape of openings are predominantly linear, to support the form of the buildings, which in turn mirror the long, thin shape of the site.

I created a slit in the long gallery, which would filter light through to gently illuminate the walls displaying the paintings, whilst emphasizing the long horizontal form of the building. Two surrounding pieces sticking out are for this purpose. The main gallery has a slit in reverse - sunken in. The roof heights descend towards the buildings at the back of the site, so that sunlight can penetrate right to the front buildings easier. The openings also become larger and more numerous towards the back.

Above: section South to North; Below: section North to South


Above: section of the main gallery space, showing the cabinet front behind which is the video installation room. The opened roof with slats lets light penetrate into the double height space. These mirror the linear openings in the apartment roof.


Above: cross section from courtyard looking down long gallery, showing the vertical slit opening, mirrored in the horizontal skylights above the half level spacess.

Below: cross section looking from the lounge area to the long gallery, showing the repetitive horizontal and vertical openings and structural features which serve to create a sense of "framing" and perspective."


Above: cross section of the end precinct, looking from the terrace. The apartment is upstairs, workshop below with stairs leading through to the more enclosed storage area.