Coffey Architects

An art gallery accommodating a temporary and permanent collection located in the heart of Canons Marsh, a magnet for redevelopment in Bristol. An enfilade sequence of galleries circulates around a 'captured' external space which accommodates a large stair/audience space. At a number of locations the tension between the internal and external spaces is heightened with shared staircases, delicate bridges and light tunnels to access routes above. The building is clad with laminated glazed units sandwiched with timber veneer to offer a warmth and delicacy associated with the marine environment, combined with a crisp sharp modern aesthetic which is also easy to maintain.

Bristol is a city with no 'centre'. The gallery forms another chapter in the experience of the city creating a mini heart away from the water at once urban and waterside. The gallery enjoys a position which balances many contexts and exploits them to form a rich urban experience of movement between internal art and external urban theatre.