Assignment 3

Buildings in use - The Aspex Gallery

P935: F4 @ 1/80  18mm  !SO 400the 

The Aspex Gallery moved into an old military storeroom in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth in 2006.

Designed to be user-friendly by award winning architects Glenn Howells, the conversion houses a gallery,open plan shop, artist resource centre (ARC), classroom for art workshops and clubs and a modern cafe.The intention was to retain its historic structure yet give the gallery a contemporary layout with scope to expand its educational activities - all on one level.



Like many of my chosen subjects for this assignment, the Aspex Gallery presented lighting and spatial challenges ( a narrow corridor ), and the only time that I had to sign a permission form indicating that my images were for educational purposes.



How well does the design work?




 

P933:F8 @ 1/80  10mm  ISO 800

P932: F8: @ 1/50  10mm  ISO 400

The public footprint area is compact. There are two main exhibition areas - the relatively narrow corridor ( P933 and P932 ) above leading from the main entrance to the cafe area  P934 and a larger rectangular area for larger 3D exhibitions ( P931).

P931: F5.6 @ 1/40  18mm  ISO 800

At the front of the building comes the cafe with a seating area often used at night as a small performance area.

P934: F5.6 @ 1/125  20mm  ISO 800

I approached this photo shoot from the point of view of the user or visitor, again observing how people used the Gallery and which spaces drew their initial interest. It took two visits to capture what I thought would work as I wanted to show the main exhibition area in use.

I think the images above do give a feel of the building and how the space is being used.I like the way that all the space is used, not only the floor but the walls and ceiling. The mix of the historic fabric ( walls, windows and doorways and doors) works well with the modern internal infrastructure created for classroom, office,shop and cafe space. It is a very effect use of space, simple, visually attractive, practical and user friendly.