Literature and Art Centre in Gregynog

PROCESS TAGS

Representation Research-driven User-focused

CONTENT TAGS

Circular Economy in Architecture Community Redefining Rural

LOCATION

Gregynog Estate

Project Description

New complex for Davis sisters impressive collection of books and artworks.

The main design driver was to provide space for storage and exhibition of artworks and books from the Gregynog collection that would also encourage new visitors to visit the estate by providing a unique experience and series of spaces designed for various users.

Gregynog faces a serious problem of decreasing number of visitors and a lack of clear purpose that would attract wider attention to the estate and what it's got to offer. Strategic analysis of Gregynong revealed a series of issues affecting 'experiencing Gregynog' by guests that discourages them from re-visiting estate.

By redesigning visitors' experience and series of interventions along with designing new landmarks of the estate, the first impression of Gregynog changes completely. New literature and art centre, which concludes the serial vision of the estate offers visitors a series of various spaces and enables them to discover artworks and books from Davie's sister's collection. Moreover, the new complex frames a series of views, exposing visitors to the beautiful rural landscape of Wales.

Designing a new complex in a close neighbourhood to the old hall was an interesting, yet difficult task. The architectural language of the new centre is a result of a long process that involved careful thinking and testing possible solutions to find the best answer to Gregynog's needs and issues.

Different stages of design involved using various tools to test ideas. One of the most useful tools turned out to be a 1:500 site model (below) used for massing and testing the relationship of the design with the local landscape. Especially it was useful for testing how different concepts worked with trees on site that dominates the site and provide a lot of shadowing what has a significant impact on spaces like library or art gallery where good lightning is extremely important.

The pedestrianization of the estate grounds includes moving the car park for visitors further away from the Hall (to the position 2 above), and from there redirecting the movement of people to the old entrance road of the estate (3&4 above). To ensure that the old car park is used just by employees small interventions were made to the road (U-turn with a planted tree that blocks the view in the old car park direction).

The ground floor houses mostly public spaces, including a library, bookshop/cafe, and galleries. The central courtyard with plants characteristic for Gregyno’s famous listed gardens like rhododendrons and David Austin roses is completed with a central pergola that offers more private space, sheltered from the eyes of passers-by. Galleries stretched around the courtyard apart from an impressive collection of artworks offer a series of framed views in all directions, and are ‘live paintings’ showing the beauty of Gregynog landscapes. Library with openings to the east, north, and west offers excellent lighting conditions for exploring the rich collection of books from Gregynog Library. The cafe and bookshop located in the front, just next to the main gate are designed to draw the attention of visitors from nearby Gregynog Hall, as glimpses of people enjoying books and coffee can be seen from the centre point of the estate - old house.

New Literature and Art Centre of Gregynog situated in between old oak trees houses an archive, library, and galleries with associated spaces. It is connected to the Gregynog Hall via stone-finished pavement that continues all the way to the internal courtyard. The monolithic front elevation is covered by cast aluminum panels. To the right from the main entrance behind the glazing located is a cafe so that figures sitting inside could attract the attention of people approaching the gate and encourage them to stop by and discover the interior of Library and art galleries.

Main Library apart from its rich collection of books offers reading nooks, where readers can enjoy books in groups or alone. Aluminum facade panels ensure good lightning conditions throughout the whole day, preventing glare and excessive heat gains. Apart from a great collection of artwork displayed here, also the framed views of rural Welsh are to be admired by visitors. With the main window facing north. This space is designed to be slightly darker than the main gallery, to emphasize the importance of view through the main window located at its back.

Main elevation is to be finished in casted aluminum panels. Perofrated patterns on them are selected timber frames used in vernacular architecture of Mountogmeryshire. Thier aim is also to establish relationship between new complex and old Gregynog Hall, which uses similar patterns on its concrete elevation.

Piotr Hejdysz

BSc

hejdysz.piotr@gmail.com