{"id":775255,"date":"2025-03-10T08:44:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T08:44:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=775255"},"modified":"2025-03-10T12:32:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T12:32:19","slug":"exhibitionists-part-3-apparata-studio-mutt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/exhibitionists-part-3-apparata-studio-mutt","title":{"rendered":"Exhibitionists Part 3: APPARATA, Studio MUTT"},"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

Astrid Smitham, director and co-founder, APPARATA\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Describe a key recent project
\n<\/b><\/span>We recently completed the exhibition design for The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975-1998 at the Barbican Art Gallery, working closely with the curator of the show, Shanay Jhaveri. Working with the complexity and themes of work created under the political realignment of that period, the intent was for the exhibition to feel city-like, with a diversity of places and atmospheres that visitors might make their own.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975-1998 exhibition, designed by APPARATA with curator Shanay Jhaveri<\/p>\n\t

Source: Thomas Adank<\/p><\/div>\n

How do you look to ensure sustainability in designing exhibitions\/gallery fit-outs?
\n<\/span><\/b><\/span>Wastage is a significant problem for temporary installations and is something that cultural institutions are keen to tackle. Designing for re-use in turn offers an opportunity for a richer, more complex architecture, made of lasting materials. Thus an important part of the design for The Imaginary Institution of India was that each element was designed for a new home after the exhibition. The timber is being used to make partitions at the ground-floor community space at A House For Artists in Barking; the bricks are being reused by a construction college and some components are being returned to the suppliers in their original condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who are the key collaborators and consultants you work with regularly?
\n<\/b><\/span>Lighting in exhibitions is always a crucial element and for The Imaginary Institution of India we worked closely with the on-site installation team. Exhibition-making is a collaborative process and on the project we also worked with Structure Workshop for engineering and Raskl Art + Architectural for fabrication.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975-1998 exhibition, designed by APPARATA with curator Shanay Jhaveri<\/p>\n\t

Source: Thomas Adank<\/p><\/div>\n

What other art\/cultural projects are you working on or looking forward to?
\n<\/b><\/span>We are working on a studio space, an exhibition design and furniture pieces.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does exhibition or gallery work feed into your wider practice?
\n<\/b><\/span>We try to make exhibition design that can act socially and be claimed in some way by visitors, often by offering places to stop or rest, or by providing structures that enable the space to be used differently to before. This is also how we work with buildings, to design spaces that are open-ended in terms of their long-term uses.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Project <\/b>The Imaginary Institution of India: <\/span>Art 1975-1998 exhibition
\n<\/span>Location <\/b>Barbican Centre, London
\n<\/span>Client <\/b>Barbican Centre
\n<\/span>Start on site <\/b>September 2024
\n<\/span>Completion <\/b>September 2024
\n<\/span>Budget <\/b>Undisclosed<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Alexander Turner, director, Studio MUTT\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Describe a key recent project
\n<\/span><\/b><\/span>The Tate Liverpool Learning Space was a project requiring a demountable, mobile and flexible exhibition kit for Tate Liverpool\u2019s temporary home at RIBA North during 6a architects\u2019 refurbishment of Albert Dock. The installation is reconfigurable and caters for workshops for diverse audiences of all ages. The large, crate-like furniture pieces play on the visual language of art handling and packing, with rich blue-stained interiors for display and silhouetted marble inlays of Tate collection pieces to add refinement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Tate Learning Space flexible exhibition system, designed by Studio MUTT<\/p>\n\t

Source: Northern Makers<\/p><\/div>\n

How do you look to ensure sustainability in designing exhibitions\/gallery fit-outs?
\n<\/span><\/b><\/span>All non-permanent exhibitions are inherently unsustainable, due to the \u2018throw away and start again\u2019 mentality. We have recently been looking at designing a setwork able to adapt for a run of two or three shows, prolonging the life of the build and so minimising environmental impact. We also prioritise the use of timber-based and recyclable materials.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who are the key collaborators and consultants you work with regularly?
\n<\/b><\/span>For lighting, Studio ZNA and Beam; Sthuthi Ramesh is a trusted creative partner for graphics. For the construction stages, setWorks, Raskl and Northern Makers (who made the Tate Liverpool pieces shown here) have all played a crucial role in the success of projects we\u2019ve worked on with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Tate Learning Space flexible exhibition system, designed by Studio MUTT<\/p>\n\t

Source: Northern Makers<\/p><\/div>\n

What other art\/cultural projects are you working on or looking forward to?
\n<\/b><\/span>Wild is currently at the Manchester Museum, and, around the corner, our interpretation and wayfinding in the refurbished Power Hall at the Science and Industry Museum is on site. In Stoke-on-Trent we are working with the V&A at its Wedgwood Collection site, while, in London, Gardening at the British Library opens in May. Construction is soon to start on retail spaces at the new V&A East in Stratford and we have just started designing two reusable gallery spaces at the London Museum.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

How does exhibition or gallery work feed into your wider practice?
\n<\/b><\/span>We believe that exhibition design is about storytelling and has the power to communicate ideas and create an emotional response, a way of thinking that has fed directly into how we design more traditional architecture projects. Exhibitions also allow the testing of new materials and different treatments and details.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Project <\/b>Tate Learning Space flexible exhibition system
\n<\/span>Location <\/b>Liverpool <\/span>
\n<\/span>Client<\/b> Tate Liverpool and RIBA North
\n<\/span><\/span>Start on site<\/b> August 2023
\n<\/span><\/span>Completion<\/strong> \u200aSeptember 2023
\n<\/span><\/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":775273,"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":[2870,100452,2556,101232,62986,89409,4285],"yoast_head":"\nExhibitionists Part 3: APPARATA, Studio MUTT<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In the third instalment of our three-part feature\u00a0Rob Wilson asks Astrid Smitham and Alexander Turner 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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