Gagosian Gallery, Mayfair
TateHindle’s scheme at 20 Grosvenor Hill transforms an outdated 1960s office block, situated between a multi-storey basement car park and residential tower, into a contemporary building occupied by the Gagosian Gallery. The new gallery is an integral part of developer Grosvenor’s long-term transformation of Mayfair as a place to live, work and visit. The design draws on the area’s art heritage, connecting seamlessly with the public realm.
Externally, the podium is clad in handmade ‘artisan’ Roman bricks in a blue-grey palette. The bricks are elongated and flatter than standard stock, giving a textured look and feel to the facade. Depending on the level of daylight, the brickwork has a unique ephemeral appearance through the play of light, shadow and texture.
The western side of the podium is defined by a simple brick structure with full height glass doors and vitrine windows punctuating the facade and advertising the main gallery spaces. The windows on the eastern side of the building create a vertical rhythm along the street and mirror the architectural composition of the residential tower above.
Internally, the first floor slab in the podium has been removed to create a spacious double-height gallery. Designed by Caruso St John, the interior provides 560sqm of gallery space in four connected rooms. The feeling of natural light is a key feature of the gallery. The primary source of lighting is a large lay light in each room, which illuminates the whole space. The lay light is an artificial source, using arrays of LEDs in the ceiling space between the roof beams, above the glazing. Beyond the gallery at the first floor level, are the private viewing rooms and offices.
