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Photography Centre

Part 2 Project 2007
David Yeates
 University of Portsmouth | UK
The project is a response to a large urban masterplan developed as a studio group. It was an opportunity to expand my Dissertation research in to Deconstructivism in architecture and explore the conventional interpretations of scale and form. It seeks to create a positive outcome from the combination of regulated and non-regulated elements present from the masterplan.

Photography is used as a metaphor throughout the building, allowing me to explore qualities in form, materiality, varying the appearance and experience of interior and exterior spaces. As well as a main photography museum the centre contains functions including traditional development and digital editing rooms, studio spaces and teaching facilities. Galleries contain historical and contemporary exhibitions of photographic work, designed to complement the existing cultural buildings in Rotterdam.



Rotterdam presented many opportunities as an urban design platform, as a city undergoing regeneration of its cultural and physical infrastructure, the photography museum as a brief evolved from an understanding of the site in Rotterdam, to complement existing museum provision in the city. Specifically , David responded to the brief using photography as a metaphor in terms of contrast of materials , space and light. Also the medium of photography informs aspects of interior and exterior space. The building became a digital interactive screen. Cladding material which defined the building reacted to this interplay of positive and negative . One element of the building is heavy black concrete, suggesting enclosed heavy space. The other is a semi- translucent glazed wall separating inside from out creating a light exhibition gallery. This contrast of spaces was considered from interior to exterior spaces and also at the scale of the city form building to urban square.
2007
Model: 1:12500, Cork/Black Card. Used to describe the large scale urban and industrial existence of Rotterdam. Overlaid with a piece of glass the model was used as a working drawing board for implementing a city-wide strategy.
Identifying a cultural axis across the city. The axis generates common themes, events and spaces which link a number of cultural buildings from North to South.
Site Plan. Blurring the boundaries between the land and water, playing with scale and context.
Plan: Ground Floor, 1:200. Photographic metaphors in early stop motion photography as well as framing techniques are used to generate the plan details.
Plan: First Floor, 1:200. The Photographic Museum provides a cinematic journey charting the development and variety of photographic technique.
Plan: Second Floor, 1:200. Contemporary galleries, teaching spaces and development suites complement other masterplan elements.
Plan: Basement, 1:200. Supporting the facilities above space is provided for digital and conventional media storage, feeding the galleries and museum above.
Sectional Elevation: 1:200. Two sections interlock with the juxtaposition of materials expressed internally as well as externally.
Sectional Elevation, 1:200. Shifting and tilting planes are reflected throughout section as well as plan.
Elevation, 1:200. A media wall gives the public display of current work as well as information on upcoming exhibitions.
Plan, 1:200. False axonometric. The spatial and material qualities of the museum and galleries are enhanced clear structural differences.
Perspective View. Experience is enhanced by the openess of the site. The media screen generates and everchanging view of the landscape.
Details. 1:20 Screen printed glass and black acid etched concrete provide transparency and privacy in equal measure.
Model. 1:500 Site model detailing the local context and heavily regulated landscape interventions.
Model. 1:500 Overlapping systems of points and planes help frame the building in the landscape.
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