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ALBION BARN

Architect: Studio Seilern Architects Client: Private Structural Engineer: TALL Engineers Services Engineer: Atelier TEN Lighting Consultant: Sutton Vane Associates Quantity Surveyor: BAQUS Contractor: Lamburn Geekie Budget: ÂŁ700K Location: Oxford, UK Scope: Gallery, Offices & Exhibition Space Area: 300sqm Completion Date: 2013

ALBION BARN, LITTLE MILTON Albion Barn at Old Belchers farm in Oxfordshire is a cultural exhibition space, office and residence designed for a private art dealer. The commission started in January 2013 and we had to complete the first phase of the project by October 2013, ready for the Frieze Art Fair. Within this nine-month period we had to deliver design, planning, tender and construction of work. With the success of the first stage, the client has engaged us in an ongoing role to make improvements and additions to Albion Barn. Old Belchers Farm is a charming 17th century farmhouse with a collection of barns and stables within a courtyard of a farm estate. The collection of buildings has Historic Interest Building Status and the property falls within the Conservation Area of Little Milton. It is within this setting that the owner of the property wished to establish a contemporary art centre, displaying his own collection and installing shows within a more intimate setting than the typical industrial lofts of the urban commercial gallery. The grounds were utilised to house the permanent sculpture collection allowing the art to spill into nature. The old farmhouse buildings were converted into content-rich art galleries, where the architecture reacts to the intimacy of its domestic setting and allows visitors enough space to explore and reflect upon the work. The owner wanted to be able to open up the gallery space to the public whilst simultaneously entertaining clients and friends amongst his extensive art collection. The client required gallery spaces that could accomodate a collection of varying media and scales so we created an open and inviting doubleheight gallery space for the large sculptures and installation pieces, to showcase art in the most impactful way. For the smaller scale art pieces such as paintings and small sculptures, we created a more intimate setting in the form of a single storey extension with skylights to allow for as much natural light as possible. The project also includes a dining room and offices wrapped around an immersive central hidden library. The library is conceived as the core of the building, a transitional and pivotal space between the private and public spaces. The idea was that once inside the library, one should feel fully encapsulated by books, rather than walls. The space is galleried, and the ceiling mirrored, giving a sense of the library extending vertically into infinity. The illusion is then broken by an oversized pink skylight, puncturing the ceiling into a deep void, giving a soft and warm natural glow to the books. The four walls are covered in full height bookshelves, within which four secret doors have been integrated. When closed, the space seems to have no exit, and one is fully immersed in this extensive and wondrous art book collection. The secret doors slide and pivot to create passageways to the galleries or the dining room.

Left: Site Plan Right: Exterior

Exhibition Space

Left: First Floor Plan Right: Exhibition Space

Exhibition Space

The Library

Left: Library Right: Library Section

Exhibition Space Left: Wellington Bench by SSA Right: Country Life by Richard Woods

Dining Area