The proposal for a new building destined to house a School of Fine Arts was from the beginning a contradictory challenge on how one can place boundaries on the freedom of creation. That is why we decided to create a big, versatile workshop space that is, also, the hub for public display, discussion and education of art. The features of this space are ideal for any creative process: large dimensions, free floor plan with plenty of diffuse natural daylight and immediate access to supporting functions. Within this area, each laboratory can be customized and developed according to the wishes of the students and faculty of the School. Lightweight and temporary structures at multiple levels create relationship between the labs and the rest of the space, easily favouring future changes of the study programme curriculum.
The teaching and administrative functions enclose the central laboratory areas and form a solid rectangular shape that references local traditional architecture, while helping energy efficiency in the adverse winter conditions of the area. Light plays an extremely important role in shaping the building both as a volume and as an envelope. The sawtooth roof, in addition to providing the feel and aesthetics of a space for 'production', provides constant and steady natural light, essential for any art-related activity. Also, the double skin facade with its translucent outer shell, blurs the boundaries of the building, as does the 'siniaki' -the local fog- and creates an intimate relationship of the interior with the exterior.
© griik architects 2020