RIBA Stirling Prize winner has services by Max Fordham
Consulting engineers Max Fordham designed the environmental engineers for this year’s winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize, Newport Street Gallery in the Vauxhall area of London. The practice worked with architects Caruso St John and artist Damien Hirst.
The project included the refurbishment of three listed former theatre scenery workshops and the addition of extensive gallery space. The gallery was designed for Hirst’s private collection, including works by Francis Bacon, Tracey Emin and Pablo Picasso.
Colin Darlington, senior partner at Max Fordham in charge of the project, ‘This was an incredible — and challenging — project to work on, and it is great to see that hard work recognised by RIBA.’
The distinctive saw-tooth ridge playfully echoes the industrial heritage of the area and is positioned to allow indirect sunlight into the galleries to illuminate each piece of art to be without being damaged by sunlight.
However, the saw-tooth roof profile and the building’s listed status created challenges, as most of the M&E plant had to be installed in a small, concentrated plantroom in the basement.
Natural light was prioritised over artificial lighting where possible, and low-noise air conditioning was installed to complement the serene intimacy of the gallery.
