Open Eye Gallery / RCKa

Open Eye Gallery / RCKa - ShelvingOpen Eye Gallery / RCKa - Image 3 of 10Open Eye Gallery / RCKa - Image 4 of 10Open Eye Gallery / RCKa - FacadeOpen Eye Gallery / RCKa - More Images+ 5

Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Open Eye Gallery / RCKa - Shelving
© Mark McNulty

Text description provided by the architects. Open Eye Gallery is a publicly funded photographic gallery located on Liverpool's dock. The building forms part of the wider Mann Island Development, within a UNESCO world heritage site.

The design balances the specific curatorial requirements with the need to create a unique, public-facing and engaging space out of a limited budget. The desire to make art more accessible to the public, led an approach which unlocked the maximum value from this prominent site, delivering an arresting building whilst also providing more gallery space than was originally envisaged.

Open Eye Gallery / RCKa - Facade
Courtesy of RCKa

A diverse range of gallery spaces are provided and, wherever possible, the building opens up to its surroundings to advertise the Gallery's presence, thus engaging with passers-by and ultimately encouraging visitors. There are three internal exhibition spaces, each distinctive in character and purpose: from Gallery One's double height space just inside the main entrance; to Gallery Three which accommodates smaller scale exhibitions from the vast photographic archive; Gallery Two is open to the city and accommodates events and artists' talks, thus animating the Eastern façade and advertising the gallery's activities to the wider public. The threshold between the distinct Gallery Spaces is marked by dark stained oak corridors, which are both intimate and tactile.

Open Eye Gallery / RCKa - Image 8 of 10
First Floor Plan

A key feature in the design is the introduction of the Western Wall between the Gallery and the Covered Public Realm. The wall provides a stimulating canvas for installations; bringing the inside of the gallery out and directly into the public's gaze; allowing the gallery to appropriate the Covered Public Realm as its fourth gallery space. The folding form of the wall purposefully jars with the character of the host Mann Island building and playfully moves around the line of columns in front of it. Its arresting form makes the most of the opportunity to engage with the public and creates a highly visible location for the bookshop without compromising the spatial quality of Gallery One.

Open Eye Gallery / RCKa - Beam, Column
© Mark Reeves

The Western Wall is made of a semi-translucent Corian which gives a clean and ethereal quality. This contrasts with more tangible elements such as the untreated brass door handles and unlacquered oak reception desk which will tarnish and age with use.

The new building has given greater presence to the Open Eye Gallery increasing visitor figures from an average of 6-7,000 visitors to 53,000 visitors in its first year of opening.

Open Eye Gallery / RCKa - Image 9 of 10
Ground Floor Plan

Greater visibility has increased the gallery’s self-generated income through retail sales, donations and gallery hire. The increase in visitor numbers lead to a 9% increase in revenue funding from the Arts Council of England’s at a time when ACE was reigning in both capital and revenue funding nationwide. The building has therefore not only enhanced the Open Eye Gallery programme; it has also assured it’s financial future.

Open Eye Gallery / RCKa - Image 4 of 10
© Mark Reeves

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Project location

Address:Mann Island, Liverpool, Merseyside L3, UK

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Open Eye Gallery / RCKa" 22 Mar 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/487825/open-eye-gallery-rcka> ISSN 0719-8884

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