Towner Gallery

Rick Mather Architects, Eastbourne, 2008

 

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The gallery's entrance has a minimal aesthetic 

Daniel Clements (website)     Download Original

  • The gallery    
  • The gallery is positioned next to the 1960s Congress Theatre <James Brittain>    
  • The Towner Gallery    
  • The entrance illuminated behind the black zinc cladding    
  • The terrace, accessed through the second-floor café <Richard Chivers>    
  • The café has views across the town towards nearby Beachy Head <unknown>    
  • Flexible gallery spaces are defined by an ordered geometry <Daniel Clements>    
  • Gallery space    
  • Wider site plan    
  • Site plan    
  • Ground floor plan    
  • First floor plan    
  • Second floor plan    
  • Section    
  • Section    
  • Section    
  • Elevations    

Cultural Centre housing a gallery collection, as well as providing new conference exhibition space, community activity rooms, retail facilities and a cafe

The building incorporates art storage for the Towner permanent collection and is designed to enable the public to view the gallery's entire collection for the first time. Flexible spaces have been designed to accommodate touring exhibitions, conferencing and the promotion of education and learning within the building, acting as a base for community outreach programmes.

The design is informed by many factors including views, circulation and the scale and nature of neighbouring existing buildings. Exposed concrete ceilings for heat retention and displaced ventilation through the walls create a controlled interior environment.

The materials and finishes of the facades are intended to complement the Congress Theatre. Fair-faced concrete is used in the entrance area and canopy, render is used on the remainder, defining the different parts.

Data

  • Begun: Oct 2005
  • Completed: 2008
  • Floor area: 2,600m2
  • Sector: Arts and culture
  • Total cost: £8.6M
  • Procurement: JCT 98
  • Address: Towner Gallery, Devonshire Park, College Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4JJ, United Kingdom

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