Center Street Contemporary Art Gallery

26 W Center St. is a historic building located on the corner of the bustling Downtown Fayetteville Square.* Experiencing the Square is exciting, hectic, communal, and shared. On the contrary, the viewing of art is defined more by an individual’s unique perspectives and emotions. The interaction between the viewer and the artwork is the main focus of the design within Center Street Contemporary Gallery. This gallery challenges the idea of the white box through it’s enclosed and elongated galleries, rotating panels, built-in viewing areas, and subtle colors. The four primary colors are curated from the existing site surroundings: red of the exterior brick, muted greenery, blue sky, and nearby beige business facades. Combined, these elements encourage independent understandings of the exhibits to create personal moments and ever-changing viewing experiences.

The gallery needed to adapt for rotating temporary and permanent exhibits, be suitable to host events and lectures, and consider gift shop space to sell memorabilia and auction artwork. The design combines all three existing buildings into one, two-level building. The two existing fire stairs stayed in place and an elevator location had been decided beforehand.

*This project was chosen to represent the Fay Jones School design program for the renewal of CIDA Accreditation. It is also currently featured in the University of Arkansas's 'Materials for Interior Architecture + Design' course as an example of exemplary student work.

[Software Used: Revit, Enscape, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Laser Cutter]