Temple Bar Gallery + Studios

Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, an organisation of artists, was originally housed in a disused factory, which extended from Temple Bar onto the Liffey quays. The project explored the relationship between art and architecture - and the appropriate representation of the power of art through architecture. The scheme is cut through with colour and abstract planar composition. The roof studios are a planimetric composition related to the synthetic cubism of Juan Gris. The existing factory building was retained without its top floor and an extension constructed on an adjacent corner site, taking the gallery to twice its previous size and completing the square footprint of the building. Thirty artists' studios in a range of sizes were reorganised with offices, showers and a kitchen added for occupants. Rooftop studios sit as a separate metal-clad element on the square rendered base - a metal 'town' above the city configured to provide external balconies. Internally, the rectangular atrium has a large oval void in each floor slab for lifting art to upper studios.