ZG, RS
100, Studio Voltaire
Menu

Studio Voltaire is one of the UK’s leading not - for - profit arts organisations. Its public programmes of exhibitions, participation projects, live events and off-site commissions have gained international reputation. The proposal for the redevelopment of Studio Voltaire appropriates the given structures located in South London to create three distinct buildings, each dedicated to the different activities taking place. Instead of unifying the spaces each building establishes its own set of rules. This way the intervention gives priority to the most economic materialisation and a diversity of spaces that is capable to represent the many and diverse activities housed by the Studio Voltaire.

Building 1 – Facing the street, you find the most public programs: entrance courtyard, main gallery, and workshop space. The courtyard creates a dialogue with the public and leads visitors to the central second building that links all functions. While the workshop space is closely linked to the main gallery and all other internal programs it can also be used independently.

Building 2 – The central building links all programs and creates the heart of the Studio Voltaire complex. It hosts the most collaborative spaces: action space, group studios, cafe, shop and offices. A three meter high steel platform fills the entire building and becomes the key element. It is supported by a continuous grid of columns that create a dynamic and open space on the ground floor. The columns and beams become simple spatial dividers and provide infrastructure.

Together, the shop, cafe, atrium and actions space form the entrance; sliding doors can open the spaces towards each other. Group studios are located on the other end, in the calmer part of the ground floor. On the upper floor you find smaller studios and the Studio Voltaire office that overlooks the entrance courtyard through the semi circle shaped window and gets light from the atrium.

Building 3 – Here you find larger individual studio spaces, toilet spaces located centrally and a tea kitchen facing the rear courtyard. Internally, each studio space is made of three solid white walls and a front wall made from polycarbonate, bringing light into the studio while animating the corridor.

  • Location: London
  • Completion: 2017
  • For: Studio Voltaire
  • Size: 1200 m²