The Lightbox By Marks Barfield Architects, United Kingdom

October 21, 2009 Category: Cultural, Public Buildings

The Lightbox was designed by Marks Barfield Architects is located in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. Marks Barfield, the creators behind the London Eye, have just opened their last building, the viewer. The album is the first museum and gallery in Woking. It came from the community and contains galleries can display as many international exhibitions and work by local artists like; presents a permanent exhibition which tells the story of Woking, as well as being a meeting place that provides cultural bridge between different groups. Marks Barfield Architects won a design competition in 2002 for the project that was built for £ 4.1 mill.

The design is quite like an answer to a difficult site and brief, the greater the desire to maximize the space inside the building. The site is a Lightbox triangular piece of land wedged between the Basingstoke Canal and 5 lanes of a section that cuts the site off central Woking. Julia Barfield, CEO of Marks Barfield explains “A key objective was to address the canal while protecting it from the highway and the connection back in the city. Our goal was to create a landmark fresh and reflect the diverse culture of the city – a jewelry box containing all sorts of cultural treasures.

We have also decided to create a low energy building up to Woking’s reputation as the greenest borough in the UK “The main peak in the atrium of the building provides the main circulation and space of direction and is also used to display the art collection of the gallery with important pieces by Elizabeth Frink, Eduardo Paolozzi and Jacob Epstein. The roof lights not only provide natural lighting, but also generate electricity using PV’s . At the ground level of the atrium is glazed with glass dichroic striped creating reflections Rainbow spectacular when the sun shines and the encouragement of views and outside the building.

The entire building is well insulated with a natural ventilation, except in the main galleries. anodized aluminum panels overlap “snakeskin” in 5 shades of gold and silver spiral around the building. Siding, inspired by nature, offers lateral line found on fish for balance. A garden channel was created by locating the building as at the end is wider space as possible, leaving a south west, garden space oriented channel. The wall 3m high gabion garden protects the channel noise and pollution of the adjacent road, allowing visitors to enjoy the tranquility of Arcadian channel that has historically been an important feature of Woking.

The Lightbox By Marks Barfield Architects in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom