"Some of the most prominent and high profile new buildings today are for arts venues across the country, primarily specialising in cultural activities and educational opportunities but also serving as focal points and meeting places for people of all walks of life. These community venues are where people of similar interests meet, eat, drink, are inspired and are where new ideas are born. This exhibition gives an insight into the design and development of these impressive venues by three of the leading architects in Scotland today'
Colin Greenslade, Exhibitions Coordinator
RICHARD MURPHY ARCHITECTS
Buildings for the Arts have been a major activity for the practice beginning with the Fruitmarket Gallery renovation in 1993 right up to the present day with the opening of the Caenarfon Art Centre in Wales on 1st April, as well as future plans for the new Festival Square Filmhouse on Lothian Road. A common theme of all of their Arts projects has been the concept that they are social places as well as galleries, theatres, cinemas etc.
Seven projects are shown in this exhibition, five of which are in Scotland. The following projects are featured: Dundee Contemporary Arts, Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh, Stirling Tolbooth Arts Centre, John Muir Birth Place in Dunbar, Eastgate Theatre and Art Centre in Peebles, Centre for Contemporary Art & the Natural World at Poltimore House near Exeter and the recently completed Caernarfon Arts Centre in Wales.
Richard Murphy founded his practice in 1991. Its early reputation was built on highly crafted and innovative domestic work in the Edinburgh Area. A considerable number of awards and publicity has lead to larger projects, often arts related, and the practice now has projects in England, Ireland, Japan, Wales, Sri Lanka, Malta and in the Netherlands, as well as in Scotland! Richard Murphy defined their goals as to make architecture equally of its place and of its time. His projects illustrate that approach looking equally at careful contextual responses to designing within and adjacent to existing buildings and also constructing new buildings within the contexts of established landscape and urban patterns.
Richard Murphy was educated at Newcastle and Edinburgh Universities. He has also held a teaching position in Edinburgh University during which time he completed extensive research into the work of the Italian architect Carlo Scarpa at the Castelvecchio Museum Verona. He also held part time teaching posts at Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, Edinburgh College of Art, Strathclyde University Glasgow, Technical University of Braunschweig Germany, University of Virginia and Syracuse University New York State.
NICOLL RUSSELL STUDIOS
Professor Ric Russell, DA RIBA, ARIAS, RSA(Elect) is a founding partner of Nicoll Russell Studios based in Dundee, one of the largest architectural and interior design practices in Scotland. Although well known for its Civic, Theatre, Licensed Leisure and Civil Engineering projects, the Studios depth of experience goes far beyond these sectors to include everything from private houses to major private hospitals
Their projects in the exhibition include The Dundee Rep Theatre, their first theatre commission; the successful new Byre Theatre in St. Andrews; 'The Space' for the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance at Dundee College, which is the home of the Scottish Dance Theatre, and An Lanntair Art Centre in Stornoway.
'Theatres are very special and complex buildings. They present a real challenge to the architect. It is essential that the architectural design is not a rigid set piece but a fle
Web Link: http://www.royalscottishacademy.org/pages/exhibition_frame.asp?id=105
