Giles Reid Architects has completed a contextually sensitive art gallery in Mayfair
Giles Reid Architects has completed a contemporary art space for Stuart Shave Modern Art in London’s Mayfair. The ground floor gallery is a single room, naturally lit from the front, with a new stair at the rear. This descends to a second smaller, square-shaped gallery. A glazed door leads to a staff office, which is also used for private viewings.
A new timber facade looks onto a lightwell located below the street. The restoration process uncovered glazed brick slips, previously hidden behind decades of paint. Minimal detailing and track lighting unite all three rooms. This is offset with traditional timber and glass doors, as well as a reclaimed oak parquet floor. The intention is to create an interior that is neither wholly modern nor traditional, but an appropriate addition to the street, says the architect.
Elsewhere, solid walnut furniture from the studio of American woodworker George Nakashima (1905-1990) complements freestanding pieces by Le Corbusier, Jean Prouve and Hilton Marlton. Outside, the main timber facade has been restored and painted black.
The gallery opened earlier this summer with an exhibition of work by Austrian painter Martha Jungwirth. Future exhibitions are planned with Richard Tuttle and Sanya Kantarovsky.
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