{"id":775188,"date":"2025-03-07T08:41:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T08:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=775188"},"modified":"2025-03-07T11:33:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T11:33:14","slug":"exhibitionists-part-2-david-kohn-architects-west-port","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/exhibitionists-part-2-david-kohn-architects-west-port","title":{"rendered":"Exhibitionists Part 2: David Kohn Architects, West Port"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exhibition design, both for temporary touring shows and more permanent gallery fit-outs, has long been an important part of architectural practice. It is seen as a chance to experiment in space-making, fabrication and materials as well as to collaborate creatively with fabricators and lighting designers.\u00a0<\/span>It often provides a platform for younger practices to quite literally showcase their design work. But increasingly, too, given the temporary and traditionally wasteful nature of exhibition fit-outs and installations, it\u2019s also a fertile ground for experimentation in sustainable, reusable and low-carbon builds and materials. The AJ approached prominent practitioners for insights into exhibition and gallery design.<\/span><\/p>\n

David Kohn, founding director, David Kohn Architects<\/span><\/h2>\n

Describe a key recent project
\n<\/b><\/span>Our programme reinvigorated Modern Art Oxford as a welcoming, inclusive and accessible venue. It is now better equipped with space and flexible structures for exhibitions, learning and participation work. With much of the historic fabric remaining intact, we revealed features such as cast iron columns, which recall the building\u2019s industrial past while giving rhythm to the spaces. A new shop and a caf\u00e9, designed by artist Emma Hart, enhance visitor enjoyment and the venue\u2019s economic sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Modern Art Oxford, reworked by David Kohn Architects with artist Emma Hart<\/p>\n\t

Source:Max Creasy<\/p><\/div>\n

How do you look to ensure sustainability in designing exhibitions\/gallery fit-outs?\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span>We have advocated both the reuse of materials and the design of adaptable systems. One example is the reusable lightweight carbon-fibre display system we designed for the Design Museum in 2011, which we reused as recently as 2019 at a Bauhaus exhibition at the Aram Store.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Who are the key collaborators and consultants you work with regularly? <\/b><\/span>We often work with Weber Industries on the joinery, such as that at Modern Art Oxford\u2019s new community gallery, education space and shop. They are brilliantly collaborative. We also work with artists such as Eva Rothschild and Monster Chetwynd on gates and gargoyles at New College, Oxford.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Modern Art Oxford, reworked by David Kohn Architects with artist Emma Hart<\/p>\n\t

Source:Max Creasy<\/p><\/div>\n

What other art\/cultural projects are you working on or looking forward to?
\n<\/b><\/span>Last year we won an international design competition with noAarchitecten and Asl\u0131 \u00c7icek for the \u20ac95 million expansion of the S.M.A.K. museum of contemporary art in Ghent, Belgium. While the brief expected demolition of the existing building, our winning proposal proved the structure could be retained and insulated, with its brick and stone fa\u00e7ades being mined like a quarry to create a new appearance. <\/span>We are currently also working with artist David Shrigley on a new studio complex in Brighton. Following an early collaboration with artist Fiona Banner on \u2018A Room for London\u2019, we are in discussion to create \u2018A Room for Fremantle\u2019 together for the 2027 Perth Festival in Australia.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

How does exhibition or gallery work feed into your wider practice?
\n<\/b><\/span>The practice is incredibly fortunate to work with very talented artists. Recently in conversation Fiona Banner spoke of an idea from German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, that it takes a lot of spiritual work to remain young. Speaking to Fiona and other artists has a similar effect.<\/span><\/p>\n

Project data<\/span><\/h4>\n

Project <\/b><\/span>Redevelopment programme<\/span>
\n<\/span>Location <\/b><\/span>Modern Art Oxford<\/span>
\n<\/span>Client <\/b><\/span>Modern Art Oxford
\n<\/span>Start on site <\/b><\/span>June 2024
\n<\/span>Completion\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span>October 2024
\n<\/span>Budget <\/b><\/span>\u00a32 million<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shaun Ihejetoh, director and co-founder, West Port<\/span><\/h2>\n

Describe a key recent project
\n<\/b><\/span>For Our Street at the Barbican, we were asked to recreate a London street that facilitates play, whether ball, group or solo games. The show created a space that encouraged people to touch, feel and explore, with a mixture of prompts and activities. As lead designers, we worked closely with St Luke\u2019s Primary School in Islington, co-designing the space together, along with invited artists and illustrators. Key to the project was designing through the eyes of children, which included everything from the heights of shopfronts to the mix of colours and tactility of surfaces.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Our Street pop-up play space at the Barbican, designed by West Port<\/p>\n\t

Source: Jesse Olu Ogunbanjo<\/p><\/div>\n

How do you look to ensure sustainability in designing exhibitions\/gallery fit-outs?
\n<\/span><\/b><\/span>Exhibition design can be very wasteful, so we have a list of sustainability targets at the outset of every project: reusing existing materials where possible, using standardised sheets to reduce wastage, working with suppliers to explore more sustainable products such as the carbon-neutral fibreboard made from 100 per cent cellulose waste and fibre residue, a by-product of the paper industry, that we used on a previous exhibition, Real Families at the Fitzwilliam Museum.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who are the key collaborators and consultants you work with regularly?
\n<\/b><\/span>We have often worked with London-based graphic designers ChillCreate and lighting designers Beam, ControLuce and Lucy Record. We\u2019ve also worked with amazing contractors over the years, such as Sam Forster and The Moule Partnership, amongst others, who, to\u00a0 <\/span>tight timescales, have delivered excellent builds.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Our Street pop-up play space at the Barbican, designed by West Port<\/p>\n\t

Source: Jesse Olu Ogunbanjo<\/p><\/div>\n

What other art\/cultural projects are you working on or looking forward to?
\n<\/b><\/span>Building on what we\u2019ve achieved in the past four to five years, 2024 saw us shortlisted for several significant cultural projects across the UK. At the moment, we are working with the Royal Academy on their autumn show, the largest British survey of the work of renowned American painter Kerry James Marshall.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

How does exhibition or gallery work feed into your wider practice?
\n<\/b><\/span>It has made us more collaborative and, crucially, better facilitators of the project programme: working to tight completion dates that cannot be moved and instilling a mindset of efficient working practices. It gives opportunities to conduct R&D on new materials, test ideas in fun and engaging ways but, best of all, interact with end-users.<\/span><\/p>\n

Project data<\/span><\/h4>\n

Project <\/b>Our Street pop-up play space
\n<\/span>Location <\/b>Barbican Centre, London
\n<\/span>Client<\/b> Barbican Centre
\n<\/span><\/span>Start on site<\/b> <\/span>July 2024
\n<\/span>Completion\u00a0<\/span><\/b> August 2024
\n<\/span>Budget<\/b> Undisclosed<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Exhibition design, both for temporary touring shows and more permanent gallery fit-outs, has long been an important part of architectural practice. It is seen as a chance to experiment in space-making, fabrication and materials as well as to collaborate creatively with fabricators and lighting designers.\u00a0It often provides a platform for younger practices to quite literally …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32845,"featured_media":777105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[706],"tags":[1616,2834,100452,101510,58156],"yoast_head":"\nExhibitionists Part 2: David Kohn Architects, West Port<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In the second instalment of our three-part feature\u00a0Rob Wilson asks David Kohn and Shaun Ihejetoh about their experience of working in exhibition and gallery design\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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