Year | 2022
Location | Castlegate, Sheffield
Clients | Yorkshire Artspace
“Everyone is an artist.” – Joseph Beuys
Through conversations with artists, 1:1 building, design explorations and installations, the project explores a new vision and spatial direction for Exchange Place Studios. In conjunction with Yorkshire ArtSpace, the Live Project group worked to create a high quality working environment for artists, building a sense of place and creating connections not only within Castlegate and Sheffield but also within the wider art community. The project sets out a new architectural vision and identity that can be applied in the short, medium and long term for Exchange Place Studios. It explores ideas such as wayfinding, increasing natural light levels and enhancing its connection to the surrounding area. Our ideas were informed by frequent exchanges with artists which allowed us to create a vision that directly answered the users’ needs.
At its heart, the work celebrates artists and craftsmanship, placing their processes and work at the forefront of the design. Inspired by the artists, the project incorporates their process and methods into the new architectural methods and spatial exploration. Most importantly, Exchange Place is a hub for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and artistic practices.
As part of a final exhibition the team presented a new vision for Exchange Place through a range of mediums: 1:1 examples of the proposed design, models, drawings and a play on light using projections. The installation activated the basement carpark, a previously unused space, and provided a platform to showcase the work to stakeholders. It also created a space to look to the future of Castlegate and Exchange Place, with the goal of showing how the long-term vision can be implemented.
This project is ongoing within Yorkshire art Space and is aiming to be continued throughout the rest of the year.
Instagram: @ssoa_exchangeplace
Credits:
Mentor: Carolyn Butterworth
Client: Yorkshire Artspace
Location: Castlegate, Sheffield
Students: Scott Mckenzie, Flora Sallis-Chandler, Emily Ronayne, Sebastian Slater, Bethan Mullard, Jessica Meech, Luke J Alcock, Wei Bai, Zichen Ye, Xiping Hua, Chiehlu Chen.
