The owners expressed the wish for more organized staff workspace and art storage and handling areas. They also wished to establish a more coherent interface between the viewing public and the gallery owners and staff.
The programmatic solution utilizes the full 3-stories of space for art viewing, and creates a sequence of spaces which allow for a continuous experience of the art as one travels up the building. While the entire 1st floor is devoted to exhibition, the 2nd floor locates the exhibition space off the stair landing with open staff offices and art handling areas on either side. As one circulates to the 3rd floor the exhibition continues at the rear of the building with the owners’ more private conference and office space located at the front.
The exhibition space is organized by a straight-run stair beneath a large glass skylight. The architectural intent - encouraging a fluid experience of art and movement - is achieved by highlighting the stair as a simple, sculptural element and contrasting it against a double-height wall modulated by natural light. Cut-outs in the wall allow one to view the collection from below or, in the case of the 2nd floor, from above. The effect is cinematic as one glimpses the art through this defining wall.