Given the historic sensitivities of the site, it was a refurbishment
driven by balancing the simple functional requirements of the
brief with the complexity of working with a listed building. The
architectural response opens up the building, positioning the main
entrance within the streetscape, rather than inside the courtyard
and carving out a large glazed opening from the masonry façade to
act as a ‘shop front’ revealing the exhibitions and activities within.
The interventions are sympathetic to the original building, using the
same palette of materials as the listed facade, yet stretching and
molding them into an entrance sequence formed of contemporary
architectural elements. A long cast stone seat wall draws visitors
into the Gallery from the north and completes the Portland Stone
plinth of the building. The goods lift tower, fundamental to the
workings of the gallery, is placed within the street, cloaked with
dynamically edge lit lasered glass panels. The long seat wall folds
from outside to in, allowing a seamless transition through the
generous main atrium into the Gallery which stands more than
a meter above street level. In a deliberate move, it addresses a
natural axis with the underground station exit which realigns the
Gallery entrance with one of the oldest thoroughfares in London -
Great Maze Pond.
Inside the volumes are open and continuous with spaces that can
be lit, closed off or opened up at the whim of a curator. This enables
ultimate flexibility so that the galleries can change their aspect
completely from one exhibition to the next. The ground floor,
which is used as a café space and shop by day can be reconfigured
with ease to turn into an events space at night. The project also
provides a lecture and performance theatre and events facilities as
well as a re-imagined Georgian Courtyard which will house cultural
and academic events. The Courtyard was previously used as a car
park but is now a fully restored and accessible public square.
www.lts-architects.co.uk
THE BUILDING HAS AN INWARD-LOOKING GEORGIAN
FAÇADE, BUT THE BRIEF DEMANDED PERMEABILITY
AND OPENNESS TO DRAW IN FOOT TRAFFIC FROM THE
NEIGHBORING STATION