Art Gallery of Alberta

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Collection 1 ARCH 330 – Architectural Design Theory Fundamentals Art Gallery of Alberta Jacob Waldbillig

Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Site ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Metal Ribbon ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Atrium .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Grand Staircase .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 References .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

Introduction The Edmonton Museum of Arts was originally established in 1924, its first exhibition showcased 24 works of art borrowed from the National Gallery of Canada. The organization occupied various buildings before enough funds were gathered to construct a home worthy of holding their growing collection. In 1969 the building opened to the public featuring an extensive number of halls and educational facilities. This new gallery was able to attract numerous new donors and members. In 1977 a new wing was added to hold more art pieces and in 2005 the gallery initiated a new major phase (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2015). After an international architecture competition, Randall Stout was selected to design a new gallery. Stout designed a total re-creation of the now 85,000 square foot building renamed to be the Art Gallery of Alberta. Re-opening in 2010 the new building featured everything from a stunning steel ribbon to a 150-seat theatre (Art Gallery of Alberta, n.d.).

Figure 1. Art Gallery of Alberta (Hip Architects, n.d.)

Figure 1. Site Analysis Google Maps Shot Figure 2. Background (Get Your Image, n.d.)

Site The Art Gallery of Alberta is located on the corner of 96 Street and 102A Avenue in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Within prime location to Sir Winston Churchill Square the building attracts many people from young to old with their flexible hours and educational programs (Art Gallery of Albert, n.d.). The building is also in close proximity to other notable organizations such as Winspear Centre, Citadel Theatre and Royal Alberta Museum. The site also has no shortage of sidewalk access and two major bike lanes adjacent to the main entrance. The building is also connected to the local train system through basement access and is close to many bus stops.

Legend Art Gallery of Alberta Sir Winston Churchill Square Edmonton City Hall

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Parking Train Station

Bus Stop

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Figure 3. Site Analysis (Google Maps, 2019)

Bike Lane

Metal Ribbon Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of this building is the 620-foot long metal ribbon wrapping around the outside and inside the building (Art Gallery of Alberta, n.d.). Stout juxtaposed the ribbon to the angular glazing around the front entrance. With the scale of the ribbon it is able to assert itself as the dominate element of the building. The main facade is south-west facing, thus it is able to invite extensive sunlight into the main atrium. The metal ribbon is also able to create dramatic shadows (Ching, 2015). These ribbons represent the Aurora Borealis that occur in Edmonton, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The double-sided stainless-steel form features a bead blasted finish that reflects color and light in a highly diffused manner. The darker finish on the remaining of the building is a zinc panel. This panel reacts to color of the sky and the sunlight to add a darker, aged, yet soft tone to the gallery (Burtynsky, 2011). The metal ribbon is a dynamic feature that allows the building to transform into a modern work of art (Welch, 2018).

Clustered and Clashing volumes Additive form

Figure 4. Aurora Borealis (Lund, 2016)

Figure 5. Metal Sweep Photo by Author

Atrium This gallery features a large atrium stretching from the main to the fourth floor. The glazing allows ample natural light from this southwest facing façade. The main steel ribbon extends inside the building to outline the second-floor balcony and continues up to the third and fourth floors before returning to the exterior. As said by Stout “The borealis rises through the public spaces guiding the visitor throughout the museum along a path of discovery” (Burtynsky, 2011, pg. 47). The open space is also great for public events and large-scale displays. The rugged materials shown outside are emulated inside and are complimented through refined interior finishes. The atrium is also a good place to see the clashing of volumes between the grids of the glazing and the ribbon form. The smaller panel sizes on the glazing can also represent the farmers’ fields that Alberta also has in grid form (Welch, 2018). The ribbon is also to represent the North Saskatchewan River that flows through Alberta. As seen in the upper left portion of the picture, a mixture of textures is shown. Between the zinc and stainless-steel panels from the exterior and the wood ceiling of the interior. This warm color helps emulate the mixture of earth tones on display at this gallery (Welch, 2018). On a typical building the roof and wall planes are simple, on this extravagant atrium the curved and slanted planes display in a flowing and integrating way.

At many points do we see two walls planes clashing together to make this modern style building (Ching, 2015).

Mixture of Materials

Second Floor Balcony

Figure 6. Atrium (Expedia, n.d.)

Grand Staircase Going from the main atrium and now to the grand central staircase. This staircase was a generous gift from Audrey Luft & Manpower services Ltd. It serves as the main transportation between the floors and integrates a new form through the center. Playing on the idea of angled glazing, the central feature uses an acrylic finish to showcase the gallery’s donors, leaders, builders and more. The first landing integrates a clash of with the large volume of the ribbon. It also has a great view of the angular glazing. Stout used the form from outside and continued it inside to boost the visitors experience. California architect R.M. Schindler said, “the form/space of the building engages the visitor in an interactive relationship” (Burtynsky, 2011, pg. 25). The texture of the ribbon are not as noticeable from a distance, but when they are viewed at a closer range a greater appreciation for the texture of the surface is seen. The lines of this as well as the gazing helps to articulate the surface of these planes (Ching, 2015).

Mixture of Materials

Integrating Interior and Exterior Donor Board Figure 7. Grand Staircase (Welch, 2018)

Figure 8. Grand Staircase First Landing Photo by Author

Conclusion Stout used the large proportion on the steel ribbon with the integrated cube form of the glass to create a structure that presents itself at equilibrium (Ching, 2015). He also used the earth tone textures of the zinc, stainless-steel and glass to integrate with warm interior tones to create a color palette that is represented on the exterior as well as the interior. A large form of the design involves interlocking volumes in different orientations. Stout used a cube in a laid-back orientation to act as the central form on the atrium. One of the unquie things about this design is that the shapes have a different appereances at different perspectives (Ching, 2015). Stout was also known for his sustainable building support. In this gallery he integreated features such as recylced materials, water conservation, daylight control and high performace glazing systems to create a more pleasant and sustainable building (Burtynsky, 2011). In conclusion the Art Gallery of Alberta is a work of art that is holding pieces of art and how fitting for this historical organization (Art Gallery of Albert, n.d.).

Multiple Planes/Volumes coming to a point

Clashing of volumes

Figure 8. Grand Staircase to Third Floor Photo by Author

Transformation from angular to horizontal glazing Figure 9. Exterior Entrance Figure 8. Third Floor Photo

by Author Photo by Author

Figure 10. Exterior Sweep Photo by Author

References Art Gallery of Alberta. (n.d.). About the AGA: Building. Retrieved from https://www.youraga.ca/about-aga/building Burtynsky, E. (2011). Art Gallery of Alberta: Randall Stout Architects. Canada: Friesens Corporation Ching, F. (2015). Architecture: Form, Space, & Order. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, inc.

Expedia. (n.d.). Art Gallery of Alberta. Retrieved from https://www.expedia.com/Art-Gallery-Of-Alberta-Downtown Edmontond6 072153.Vacation-Attraction Get Your Image. (n.d.). White Abstract. Retrieved from http://getyourimage.club/resize-january-28.html Google Maps. (2019). Art Gallery of Alberta. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/place/Art+Gallery+of+Alberta/@53.5447543,113.4911406,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x53a0224fed45b31f:0x5d8219c1a4f87aec!8m2!3d53.5447543!4d-113.4889519 Hip Architects. (n.d.). Art Gallery of Alberta. [Image]. Retrieved from http://hiparchitects.com/portfolio/art-gallery-of-alberta/ Lund, S. (2016). Artstation. [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Wl1eG The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2015). Art Gallery of Alberta. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/art-gallery-ofalberta Welch, A (2018). Art Gallery of Alberta: Edmonton Building. E-Architect. Retrieved from https://www.e-architect.co.uk/canada/art-gallery-alberta