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Perimeter Gallery
New York, New York

Design

2001

Construction

2001

Contractor

Ed Bennett

Materials

Gypsum board systems, steel and wood framing, nylon fabric.

Building Area

710 square feet

Photography

Chris Barrett, Hedrich Blessing

It was the intention of the gallery director to create a meditative, salon-like environment for viewing art in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York. It was a challenge to achieve this within 714 square feet, a 30-day design and construction schedule, and an extremely limited budget.

Due to its constraints, the design required an architectural detail with a noticeable impact on the space that also would work within and not dominate the whole design. The detail of floating a gypsum board wall above the ground, below the beam line and at a slight angle against the length of the space and column line created the new environment. An added wall at the end of the gallery of the same height, placed perpendicular and a few degrees off, creates an illusion of larger space and a more comfortable perspective. Because of a small gap between the two walls and large windows located behind the smaller wall, natural light and shadow play a dominant role without affecting the lighting of the artwork. The light also contributes a sense of anticipation to the space.

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