Art Factory

Project idea

The goal of the project is to transform an abandoned parking garage into an Art Factory with creative studios, workshops, exhibition spaces and many more, give it the new purpose, and breathe new life into it. The building is located on Great Eastern Street in the Shoreditch district of London. Although it is currently abandoned, it has become an important place for street art and a remarkable icon in its neighborhood.

When walking around, you can notice that the image of the city, with the graffiti canvas in front, suddenly looks like a patchwork. Layers upon layers upon layers, created and built over the years of the living environment of the city. And now I‘m designing another new layer that is, though not trying to silence the existing one, but it‘s trying to help it to stand out.

Project description

With creative studios and an open gallery, Art Factory is designed to become a vibrant urban space. In a neighborhood rich in street art, artists have transformed this large concrete canvas to showcase their work. The project preserves the site as an important street art landmark while introducing studios for creative professionals. The public character of street art is reflected in the new additions, which also serve as exhibition spaces. Furthermore, the building is surrounded by a generous public space, making Art Factory a place dedicated to the public, art, and creativity.

Technical information

For me, the existing building is like an iconic sculpture that I can breathe new life into through adjustments and a new extension. Therefor I am keeping the existing load-bearing structure and giving it slight adjustments.

In the existing building the ceilings are composed of two different structures - prefabricated in the middle, monolitic around the columns. By removing prefabricated parts I'm gaining spaces with more headroom. I am creating the art lab inside the existing building by accommodating studios for creative professionals in the newly emerged „high ceilings“ spaces. In the "low ceiling" spaces I‘m designing suitable small additional functions that enhance the value of the studios.

Afterall, the elements of the new addition are thoughtfully arranged around the original building, coming together to form a single, multi-layered whole. The addition brings new values, spatial and functional opportunities, and new life to a structure that has long been lifeless.

Documentation

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