ancr
	An Art House For Walsall
	Caruso St John have designed a gallery which is modern and traditional, tough but humane, challenging but understandable. It reflects established traditions of previous generations when people displayed their artefacts in a variety of settings and rooms, yet it is entirely a building of today. British architecture at the turn of the 21st century is rich, complex and diverse. It embraces talent and spirit of breathtaking proportions with pitiful and dreary products which are both mean and dispiriting. There is a recurring demand for comfortable well intentioned conservation and the recreation of an historic past, even if that past has little to commend it. Where should a designer sit among the many 'isms' which permeate design (modernism, post modernism, deconstructivism, classicism, brutalism, conservationism to say nothing of organic, expressive, sculptural and other contemporary preoccupations)? What mixture of ideas do designers reflect when they tackle a building? On the one hand a building celebrates the juxtaposition, integration or sheer collision between ideas and philosophies, social, economic and political forces; and on the other the history and theories of architecture, the immediate talents of the designers and the capability of the construction industry. Where does The New Art Gallery Walsall sit amongst all this? In January 1998 Caruso St John exhibited their work in an exhibition called The Presence of Construction. It consisted of six giant black and white photographs of The New Art Gallery taken by Helene Binet and hundreds of the drawings that the architects produced in the course of the Gallery's design and construction. The power of their building does not come from any superficial 'ism' or fashionable style. It expresses the fundamental nature of 'building' as a process and a means of expression. Above all it is concerned with enclosure of space. In some respects it lies solidly within the modern tradition of buildings that are derived from their function, honest in their approach and relevant to their social context. In others it is innovative, exciting, challenging and forward looking. It takes some time to recognise the balance and composure of this remarkable new addition to the Walsall skyline. It has all the strength and determination of the finest Victorian warehouses yet it is entirely of its time. There is nothing superficial about this building. There are no jolly frills which might get blown away in the wind or repainted in different colours to tone the whole place down. It has an unashamed strength sitting boldly at the head of the canal basin right in the heart of the town. It proudly expresses the nature of the materials used in the construction stripping away any decorative niceties that do not directly reflect the way the building has been put together. There are many fine details. Great care and sensitivity has gone into the choice and use of materials and their detailing. The quality and juxtaposition of materials is fundamental to the design and our perception of the interior. Apart from the Gallery's towering presence, distinguishing characteristics of the external fabric are the use of materials and window openings. The building is clad in terracotta tiles except at the lower levels where shimmering stainless steel is used. The windows punctuate the form giving rhythm and scale to the facades. Terracotta is a wonderfully traditional (and English) material used extensively on Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Here it is fundamentally modern. Inside the Gallery captures and further extends the vocabulary of spatial enclosure that permeates so much of 20th century architecture. While recognising the need to enclose the collection in identifiable areas, reflecting the fact that this is a private collection accumulated in a domestic residential setting, the sequence of spaces flows from one to another in clearly articulated patterns. This is where the Gallery is so successful. There are flowing spatial statements defined in the best traditions of 20th century architecture by sophisticated board marked concrete structures which themselves enclose service areas, lifts and other facilities as well as forming the main structure. And it is the structure that provides the defining element of creativity which releases space and generates the generous and distinctive gallery display areas. What appears at first to be a relatively straight forward cross wall construction is in fact an innovative approach to gallery design. The towering walls constitute a framework from which all the floors are hung. This frees up the possibility of continuous spaces on each floor, a variety of ceiling heights and an approach carefully tuned to the individual needs of the Garman Ryan Collection. The architects wanted to create an appropriate home for the many small paintings that form the collection. They have avoided the use of top lighting and, like a house, have used the window as an integral part of their architectural vocabulary. The windows not only provide daylight but also the opportunity to look out over the whole of Walsall as visitors tour the Gallery, thereby enhancing the relationship of the building to the town and facilitating new perceptions about the area. The Gallery design is highly integrated with the construction processes. The fine spatial sequences, the delineation of individual 'rooms', the character and effect of the finishes, quality of light and so on are all fused with the way the building is built. Keys to understanding the approach of Caruso St John appear in their publication 'WORK'. The short essay which introduces the publication captures their thinking: 'The two architects cultivate the approach, an odd one when it comes to building, that consists in seeing things as they are. The architect's office provides a vivid illustration of this approach. In the ordinary warehouse (from which the office was created) not only were existing floors and walls preserved whenever feasible, with their old paint, warts and all: even the marks left by builders in the course of their work, like the taped joints of the plasterboard panels were retained. This is one up on the Brutalists of the 1950's, whose authenticity has been elevated to the level of fine art.....their formal strategies rather than cultivating fragmentation, collage and the like, seek instead to weave deliberate, meaningful relationships that are specific to a site.' (Irenee Scalbert, Archis, March 1995) Other sources of influence include Walter Segal, Gunter Benisch, Frei Otto and Hans Scharoun. Their influences inform Caruso St John with a series of values and preoccupations which in turn influence and inform the design process. But it is not just the architecture that counts. It is the whole way in which the functions of the building generate the design approach and the integration of The New Art Gallery into one of the key City Challenge areas. Artists involvement in the whole design team appointment process and in the development and implementation of the design itself has been fundamental to this project. In many new Lottery funded buildings, the role of artists has been limited to furniture or foyer design. At The New Art Gallery, the role of artists has been central to the entire development of the project, from the appointment of the architects and the conceptual development of the gallery to the design, development and integration of the gallery in its setting - Richard Wentworth's public square, designed in association with Kinnear Landscape Architects. The integration of art is a primary component of the building itself. The passionate commitment to community involvement and expression has also been a major influence on the creative process. For example, the position of the children's galleries - placed at the very heart of the building and not just tucked somewhere out of the way as is so often the case - is germane to the whole design. This juxtaposition of participative approaches to the arts and architecture recognises the thinking that everyone has brought to the development of this project. The construction process and the applications of new technologies are also clearly integrated into the design process of the gallery. Extensive thought has gone into the way the building is constructed and this both reflects and influences the nature of the finished product. This can be shown by: * the structural form and delineation of spaces whereby every element has a functional purpose and a visual role - for example the stairs and board marked concrete walls * the building fabric and the way weather is excluded using large terra cotta tiles hung from the sides of the building, so the spectator cannot only see each individual component but enjoy their shape, texture and proportions * future maintenance and operation has led to a particular approach to materials and finishes which reflects their very nature, as well as the purposes to which they are put. Construction also has to cope with the complexities of the site and the legacies of previous generations. Once the derelict industrial buildings had been cleared, there were problems of toxicity and poisonous chemicals in the ground. The limestone ridge on which Walsall was founded should have provided excellent foundations, but when it came to excavating the site the rock formation had to be extended by creating an additional concrete base in one corner. The canal basin generated other problems, as did the water level. The integrated nature of the project was as important to the contractor as it was to the client and the design team. The building we experience reflects all these factors and is an outstanding example of a shared vision and commitment to excellence at all levels. But whatever these influences, the role of the architect is to create a sense of place despite, or because of, all these other events. The bold simplicity of The New Art Walsall is a mark of how much can be achieved through the imagination and skills of the design team realising the vision of the client in architectural terms. As the Gallery grows into its new home, individuals and organisations who have created it will move on to other challenges. In time their legacy will be reflected in other storeys. References and Bibliography: CARUSO ST JOHN, WORK, Archis, 1995. GLANCEY, JONATHAN, Nothing is too good for Walsall, The Guardian, January 12th 1998 HUNTLEY, CLIVE, Project Manager, Sir Robert McAlpine, Interview, September 1998
	TOP