Wakefield building by David Chipperfield Architects, England, UK
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Building architect:
David Chipperfield
Architecture News
The Hepworth, Wakefield, UK
2003-10
David Chipperfield Architects
5 Mar 2009
David Chipperfield Architects' Hepworth Wakefield Tops Out
The topping out of The Hepworth Wakefield art gallery took place on 4 March 2009.
Photograph : Andy Paraskos
Designed by David Chipperfield Architects, The Hepworth Wakefield will open in late 2010. Along with Wakefield's nationally important art collection, the gallery will feature a previously unseen collection of sculptures by the celebrated Wakefield-born artist, Barbara Hepworth. The Hepworth Wakefield will also hold major exhibitions by some of the world's leading contemporary artists.
Nick Hill, Associate Director for David Chipperfield Architects said: 'This extraordinary project results from the hard work of a highly committed team; not least the tremendous work on site that is now visible to all. There is a real sense of anticipation now that the completion of the gallery is in sight and we eagerly await the day when the doors open to the public.'
Wakefield Council Leader, Cllr Peter Box said: 'I am delighted that we have reached this important milestone in what is one of the most exciting cultural projects currently underway outside London. I am very impressed with what has been achieved so far and grateful to all of our funding partners for helping us get to this point.
Image © David Chipperfield Architects & Steve Whitton
'This is another significant step forward for Wakefield and a testament to the tremendous ambition that we have in this district. The Hepworth is going to further enhance Wakefield's excellent reputation for world-class cultural attractions and make the district a leading destination for people who love art, architecture and design.'
Now that the main structure is complete, work will begin inside the new building. As well as over 2,000m² of purpose-built gallery space, The Hepworth Wakefield will provide state of the art visitor facilities including a new café and restaurant overlooking the River Calder, a £2 million learning centre offering a varied programme of workshops, and a 100-seat auditorium where visitors can enjoy talks, lectures, performances, film screenings and concerts.
The Hepworth, Wakefield Architect : David Chipperfield Architects
Previously:
Groundbreaking ceremony for David Chipperfield Architects' The Hepworth Wakefield - 7 Dec 2007
Construction of David Chipperfield Architects' The Hepworth Wakefield will start on Monday 19 November. Completion of the 5,050 m2 gallery is scheduled for 2009, with public opening in early 2010.
Laing O'Rourke Northern Ltd will act as main contractor for the two year construction programme.
The gallery will play a vital role in the redevelopment of the Wakefield Waterfront, on a prominent site at the head of the River Calder. The two-storey building is formed from a conglomeration of differently sized trapezoidal shaped blocks, responding to the scale and rooflines of the surrounding small scale industrial buildings. With water on two sides and visibility from all directions, the site - and therefore the building - has no front or back elevation.
The project will provide the city with a vibrant centre for the community that responds to the collective forces of the artists represented within the gallery, most notably the gift of thirty plaster sculptures by Barbara Hepworth, donated by the Hepworth Estate.
Wakefield Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Sport Cllr Clive Hudson said: "We are very excited that work on The Hepworth Wakefield will be starting in November. The gallery will open up access to Wakefield's internationally recognised collections and provide new opportunities for local communities, families, schools and visitors to get involved. "This is a fantastic opportunity for Wakefield - we are looking forward to opening The Hepworth Wakefield to the public as part of our 2010 Festival of Culture celebrations."
The Hepworth, Wakefield is the relocation and expansion of the city's existing art gallery to the conservation area at the headland of the River Calder. The gallery's existing collection contains major British and European artists and The Hepworth, Wakefield will additionally house a unique collection of thirty original plasters by the locally born artist Barbara Hepworth.
The gallery building is formed from a conglomeration of differently sized trapezoidal shaped blocks, responding to the scale and rooflines of the surrounding small scale industrial buildings.
With water on two sides and visibility from all directions, the site - and therefore the building - has no front or back elevation.
The building blocks form the rooms of the building. The galleries on the upper floor are sized according to the scale of the works with smaller rooms for earlier works and larger rooms for contemporary works. At the lower level the rooms contain the other gallery functions - a performance space, educational workshops, public facilities and the administration and back of house areas.
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For more information on The Hepworth Wakefield please visit www.hepworthwakefield.com which features the 'HEPCAM' - a live webcam link to the construction site.
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The Hepworth Wakefield - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt
Buildings by this architect:
Neues Museum
Menil Collection Houston
Liangzhu Culture Museum
Empire Riverside Hotel
Anchorage Museum
Saint Louis Art Museum
Marbach Museum Germany
BBC Scotland
Am Kupfergraben 10
Folkwang Museum Germany
Buildings in the area:
Yorkshire Buildings
Trinity Quarter Leeds
Sheffield Digital Campus
Castleford Bridge
Leeds Cricket Building
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