Stroud Valleys ArtSpace
Stroud

The challenge of this project is to present a public face to the Stroud Valleys Arts Centre and make it work urbanistically within Stroud without increasing public demand to access the building on a daily basis. It is not a typical public art venues in that it functions as a series of spaces for artitsts to develop their practice within the context of the wider local community through a programme of open studio events and workshops.

The site as found naturally divides into three parts; a 3 storey looking to the street, a single storey building housing a sculpture studio and a 3-storey warehouse to the rear. The priority is to create a barrier free environment which makes sense of the three buildings and integrates the courtyard that they surround.

The project entails undertaking repairs to the existing buildings to develop the existing studios whilst making alterations to meet the long term aspirations of the centre and accommodate the following spaces; a new muti-use project space, office spaces and a meeting room, a dedicated digital resource. Unlike conventional art spaces, the reception area is kept to a minimum and the design retains a low ratio of circulation space to functional spaces in order to maximise the number of studios.

As with the Quay Arts Centre, the process of ‘making the building’ will bring to the foreground the raison d’ etre of this marginal but effective group and the design must reflect and be symbolic of the visionary contribution that the centre’s artists have made to the local community. Even in projects of a small scale, it is important to make elements a significant part of the locality. In this case, the courtyard makes a positive statement about renewal.


Current status: on site
Client: Trustees of Stroud Valleys Artspace
Photographs: David Grandorge

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