Description
Shortly after purchasing our premises over six years ago, we were asked whether we wanted to take over the old platform. Neither Amvest, the project developer who had sold us our building, nor the city council of Eindhoven wanted to keep the platform due to the operation and maintenance costs, and their idea was that it would be easier for us to fit it in with our existing plans. There was also a wish that the new function of the platform would serve the general public. So we had to come up with a business model that would cover the costs of renovation and exploitation, and with which we could serve the public interest. We concluded that a day and night museum, together with a small meeting room, could provide the solution.
The elongated shape of the building means that it is very much like a large display cabinet, centrally located in the diagonal park of Strijp R. You can walk around the building to admire the displayed art both during the daytime and at night. The gallery is a component of our total concept, to make it even more worthwhile for people to visit us. The gallery itself is a non-profit entity. The organisation of exhibitions and providing artists with a platform has actually demanded significant financial investment over the years. The building itself, the presence of art and its location in the park will have a positive influence on the rental possibilities of the space.
We plan to make a cellar beneath the platform which will make “white box” presentations possible. The glass facades wrap around the old platform like it is a jewel, and the building as a whole is like a jewellery box, presenting art works.
The new construction of the glass façade remains separate from the existing building, yet fits seamlessly with the original rhythm and construction method. The façade facing the restaurant (the front, the south side) has enormous glass sliding doors that create a kind of open-air podium and also make the platform suitable to be used for events.
Our gallery is currently situated on a floor of the main building in the RK. Moving the art works to the platform will give the pieces a much more prominent position (if only because they are visible both day and night) and also have a positive influence on the appeal of our activities and the whole area. With its iconic quality and the art it displays, we think that the little building will form a positive addition to the already pleasant surroundings of Strijp R.
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