TURNER CONTEMPORARY by David Chipperfield Architects
INTRODUCTION
Art and architecture are representative of the social, artistic,
philosophical and political aspects of a society. The seemingly modern
industrial shed designed as an art gallery situated beside the clock tower by
the sea side is set out to reflect an image of the town of Margate. The modern
design by David Chipperfield Architects is simplistic in expression most likely
due to its emphasis on purpose and function.
Turner Contemporary Sketch (front space)
HISTORY
One of Britain's most appreciated painter, J. M. William Turner wouldn't
have known that the guest house he stayed at and painted the romanticist
landscapes would then be turned into a car park and then into an art gallery
two centuries later. His appreciation of the dramatic lighting in Margate was
taken into consideration for the design of the Turner Contemporary situated by
Cold Harbor at Rendezvous. The gallery existed since 2001 using the Droit
House to exhibit in. In 2006 after Snohetta lost their chance to design the
gallery due to technical problems and escalating costs, Kent County Council
appointed David Chipperfield Architects to design the gallery for a budget of
17.4 million GBP.
Fig. 1. David
Chipperfield Fig.
2. J.M.W. Turner
CURRENT CONTEXT
The gallery is run as a charity and is a part of Plus
Tate network of visual arts organizations in the UK. They have free
exhibitions, events and learning programs for the public to appreciate historic
and contemporary art through visual and audible media. Turner Contemporary's
purpose is to make exclusive art accessible to everyone and encourage visitors
to engage in the experience themselves. The views of the sea on the Northern
side in the gallery and the western side from the cafe connect the visitors to
the surrounding landscape. It is also considered a catalyst for the
regeneration of Margate and East Kent although David Chipperfield pointed out
during an architectural preview that a building alone cannot remake a town.
Christine Murray after realizing the activities that take place at the Turner
for the public mentioned that he believed it to be a civic space by the sea
rather than a catalyst for regeneration. (Architects, 2011)
Use of flexible
space (Ground Floor)
Installations involving materials like
fabric and rubber
SHAPE AND FORM
The two-storey building is composed of six identical
crystalline volumes with mono pitched roofs providing north light to the
gallery spaces and revealing daily and seasonal light changes (Architects,
2011). On entering the building a wall of glass reflections and aroma of coffee
demands a decision by the visitor to chose a direction, one that leads to the
main gallery and the other to the cafe behind you. Upon entering the gallery
one might be enticed with current exhibits on the path to the reception desk.
Visually the glass windows on the atrium towards the north side connect the
structure with the outer environment and the exhibits by the interior walls
attract the visitors. The clerestory windows allow direct daylight into the
building which gets diffused by the skylights above each of the six volumes
(Architects, 2011). ‘Our best view of the sea happens to be in a direction
where we can enjoy light that is least damaging to the museum environment’ said
David Chipperfield, who also saw it as a pavilion, a type of shed (Murray,
2011).
Ground Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
I chose to have a
latte in the cafe at the main entrance after seeing the exhibitions at the gallery
STRUCTURE AND MATERIALS
To face the corrosive and flooding nature of the sea the building has been
raised on a plinth and hard landscaping used in the surroundings. It is
constructed with a concrete frame and acid-etched glass skin to deal with high
humidity levels, strong winds and sometimes waves overtopping the building. The
façades are made of glass with reinforced windows. Inside the floors are made
to withstand time and dry lining on walls to allow hanging of exhibitions (Architects,
2011).
Drawing of an exterior (view from
the main road)
The structure stands out of the surrounding due to its industrial, white
toned appearance but certainly blends simplistically with the surrounding
landscape and the skies when viewed from a distance from the main sands of
Margate. The back elevation is hidden by the sloping landscape beside the
building and likely to be least accessed by visitors. This is probably good for
the sake of the structure since the slight unappealing surrounding and the
inclined road on the east side take seem to degrade its aesthetic value. These
flexible spaces have expansive views of the sea almost like a huge viewfinder
that captures good images by allowing light through.
The enormous lift is one outstanding feature of the
gallery, although it does not seem to play a specific role in the context
except the amaze it creates in the visitors who sometimes do mistake the open
lift for an empty room.
USE
It was intended to display historic and contemporary art
to attach an artistic feature to Margate and lift its economically damaged
situation (Contemporary, T.). How effectively has it improved the importance of
Margate as a town in South East England is arguable. It engages local
communities and children to have an experience of the art culture. After
visiting the many other attractions in the town- the Theatre Royal, Old Town,
The Shell Grotto and Dreamland Amusement park, visitors most likely wrap the
day at the art gallery before dinner at one of the sea side restaurants.
Several members of the local community meet every week to discuss art and
engage primary school children in art activities.
Audio-visual space (Exhibition - RISK)
ANALYSIS AND CRITICISM
Christine Murray the then editor of Architects’ Journal mentioned that the
purpose of the Turner as regeneration tool for Margate would not be met
(Murray, 2011 Stirling Prize, 2011). She points out David Chipperfield's take
at an architectural preview about people misunderstanding that like the Bilbao
effect every new architectural development would always be the most effective
tool to remake a town. Through the process of regeneration it could change the
perspective of individuals as examined that visitors had adopted private
behavior within the public space at Tate Modern such as lying down on the floor
(Lucy, C. 2014).
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND EVALUATION
Myself outside Turner Contemporary on a cloudy day
It is an architectural structure which uses light and space effectively and
the experience of the interior separates you from the outer world into the
ambiance of the gallery which works out well to engage the visitor. The
audio-visual rooms do prove to be a different way of experiencing art that is
not just hung on walls. One of the recent exhibitions included a performance by
a local group of musicians who played in the enormous lift the whole day. The
experience in the gallery is mostly simple yet sometimes unique with the
selection of certain mentally engaging artwork. Physically linking the gallery
to the town could prove challenging due to its situation away from the center
of town. The Shell Grotto as a unique place in Margate is probably a more
artistic source of representing the town. It takes 15 minutes to walk to the
Turner Contemporary from the railway station, 5 minutes by car and about 2
minutes if navigated using Google Street View, which is now most likely to be
the first tool of experiencing a new space before visiting it.
CONCLUSION
The gallery gives the seaside features a lift with its minimalistic
aesthetics which gives the town a structure that would attract the lovers of
the art world in the South Eastern part of England. However, the immediate
surroundings of the structure could be amended to balance the appeal. The first
step could simple include moving the car park away from the building to
emphasize its existence as an important structure. After considering the fact
that the waves do get ecstatic several days in the year the position of the
building doesn't entirely justify its purpose. It has its flaws and the good
about it and seems to be in a relationship with the ocean and its waves. Almost
like a long term romantic relationship that has its days of quarrels. It might
not have improved the local economy drastically but it does have a story worth
telling.
Skyline drawing of the
Turner Contemporary against the relatively empty horizon space
References:
Architects, D. C. (2011, November 8). Projects:
David Chipperfield Architects. Retrieved from David Chipperfield
Architects: http://www.davidchipperfield.co.uk/
[Accessed:
8th August 2016]
Contemporary, T. About: Turner
Contemporary. Retrieved from Turner Contemporary: https://www.turnercontemporary.org/about/gallery
[Accessed:
13 September 2016]
Murray, C. (2011, April 7). 2011
Stirling Prize. Retrieved from Architects Journal: http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/2011-stirling-prize/a-building-alone-cannot-remake-a-town/8613646.article
[Accessed:
8th August 2015]
Murray, C. (2011). Turner Contemporary, Margate, by David Chipperfield
Architects. Architects' Journal.
Lucy, C. (2014). Establishing
the Tate Modern Cultural Quarter: Social and Cultural Regeneration through Art
and Architecture. London School of Economics
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