Architects: OPEN Architecture

Designing the Exhibition Space for "The New Normal", Beijing, China, 2017

Architects: OPEN Architecture

This is an exceptional design of exhibition space, properly corresponds to the large-scale group exhibition's theme – The New Normal.1）

Instead of the common conundrum facing most group exhibitions where art works compete with each other for space, OPEN's exhibition design gives each individual artist an independent space-23 small galleries within one large gallery. No more hierarchy, competition or interference. Visitors are allowed focused interaction with each respective art work in its dedicated space. It is not only artists'ideal way of showing their work, but also a response to the exhibition theme. OPEN arranged the 23 galleries following the chronological order of the art works, forming a clear rhythm and inter-relationship while maintaining each one's autonomy, collectively they construct a dialogue that is the new normal.

7 展场内景/Interior views of the exhibition

8 展场内景/Interior views of the exhibition

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According to the different needs of the artists,OPEN developed a set of rules that governs the spatial design as a whole while allowing individual customisation. The rule acts as a system, a grammar, to engage the curators and artists at play together. 23 varying yet systematic dice-like boxes are distributed at different angles in UCCA's exhibition hall of approximately 2000m2, forming an interesting spatial array. Visitors do not have to follow a fixed circulation route. Wandering through the 23 galleries, people can always discover new visual surprises. Making use of the simplest white box and creating an unexpected play of light and shadow, the experience of viewing a group exhibition is totally reinvented here.

The whole exhibition space is not unlike an instant city, a village or a settlement, juxtaposing chaos and order, tension and balance, individuality and collectivity, and achieving a "spatial democracy".

Contrary to the dark and densely packed 23 galleries, the central nave is open and bright. It was transformed into a "Pavilion of Exceptions",a space where public activities such as lectures,conversations, performances can take place. It is also a place for people to read and rest during the visit, much like a forum or a public library. The furniture and wall graphics inside this space are also designed by OPEN. The Island–like customised sofas are "floating" within the Nave, whose layout and function can change flexibly according to the different activities. The pattern on the wall above the 20-metre long bookshelf is extracted from the plan of the spatial design. Composed of black rectangles and forming a complete series, it echoes to the order and individuality embodied in the exhibition.□

Note

1) "The New Normal: China, Art, and 2017" is a largescale exhibition organised by The Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art (UCCA), running from 19 March to 9 July 2017 with new and recent works by 23 artists and groups from China and beyond.

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评论

何可人：在封闭的空间里密集且看似随机地摆放类似的体量，很容易让人陷入迷宫式的眩晕。因此，从任何一个视角都能看到画廊盒子的开口，特别是同时看到好几个开口就变得很重要。在这里，灯光的处理很微妙，但是作用也很明显。这种透明性的处理手法，虽然算不上是最炫技的方式，也不是最新颖的手法，但是在尤伦斯这个展览的情境下可能是最合适的表达方式了。阅读这个项目的实景和文字，正如阅读OPEN建筑事务所其他所有的项目一样，简单明了且直截了当。此处的设计哲学——“空间的民主”，也如他们所有的项目一样、体现了一种宽宏的、开放的、直接的对城市、民生与环境的关怀。

范路：在“例外状态”展览空间设计中，23个独立的“美术馆”盒子，带来了非层级化的空间和参观活动的民主。而这些盒子的开口处理，更强化了民主感。绝大部分盒子的开口，都设置在体块的转角处。这就暴露出许多板片墙体的端部，形成了双重的空间方向感。空间既被围绕在盒子内部，又被明确地引向外部。置身其中，人们会感到是漫游在独立又连绵的展览星丛中。

17展场内景/Interior views of the exhibition

Comments

HE Keren: It is easy to be disoriented when someone is surrounded by so many "randomly" and densely arranged masses. As such, the vista to the openings of the box galleries from any angle, especially viewing several at the same time, becomes vitally important. The lighting effect also plays an important role. Although this tactics of transparency doesn't count as the most fashionable and the latest technique, it might be the most appropriate presentation in such environment. Reading this project and its texts, as reading all other projects of OPEN Architecture, the audience can always see their clear and straightforward philosophies, such as here, "the spatial democracy". Again, as all their projects, it represents a kind of open, generous, and straightforward care for the city, the environment and the civic lives.

FAN Lu: In the project of Exhibition Design for"The New Normal", 23 box-like galleries are arranged independently which forms an interesting and nonhierarchical spatial array and forms a sort of democracy for spectators' activity. While in detail design, the entrance layout for the 23 box-shaped galleries also emphasises the "spatial democracy". In most occasions,gallery entrances are set up in the corner of a box. It reveals a number of partition wall ends and brings about a dual sense of spatial orientation. Space is con fi ned in each gallery, but at the same time is also led to outside"corridors". Then the process of visiting those galleries becomes the experience of wandering through a constellation of continuous exhibition halls.