Shaden Alshadadi

TRG Studio

Interior, Architectural and Spatial Design - MA

School of Design

shaden.alshadadi@hotmail.com

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Project description

The Talbot Rice art studio is a collaborative working environment for the resident artists and the university’s community that intersects with the gallery, to encourage interaction, communication and learning, in order to create a creative space to attract energy and harnessing knowledge of both to help create artworks for the Talbot Rice Gallery.

By providing an open community with the support of both institutions, the art studio will encompass a creative network to allow art become a work with a bigger story to tell. Resident artists will gain the opportunity to not only connect with the initiative or institution they are working with, but it provides an opportunity to connect with the new environment, surroundings and its people, which helps in facilitating innovation and motivate them for new projects.

Usha Kasera Lecture Theatre

Usha Kasera is a historic lecture theatre at Edinburgh Law School in Old College, it was named Usha Kasera to honour Utsava Kasera, a University alumnus who is a graduate from the University of Edinburgh after his generous donations. (Edinburgh Law Building, 2019)

The interesting structure of the lecture theatre is one of its key characteristics, as the ceiling window, the furniture inside and the design of the interior as a whole is adapting to the structure through their shapes and how they are laid out.

After my visit to the theatre, as part of my research of the space, I have realised the great potential it beholds, it is challenging enough to adapt my design idea to the space, while creating an environment completely different than the existing.

The location of the theatre is accessible and wayfinding is easy, it could be accessed through the library and the gallery as well, which helps in supporting my design idea to make the studio a place for artists, experts and students to gather.

Existing Studio Space (Currently a lecture theatre)

2nd floor's open workspace.

The Workspace

The studio space is designed to hold most of the activities to make the studio more accessible and allow users to reach out to all their needs easily.

The workspaces are place on the wall surrounding the small library in the centre, which is stands out from the other spaces within the interior through its black colour, the library is designed to provide various working settings to allow users work in, , it is embraced with working octagon-shaped desk for reading and working, with a large board for them to use.

The workspaces designed to be flexible and functional, giving more freedom to the user to be able change their working settings, either standing, sitting, or even pulling away the desk to work without it. The storage spaces include lockers, which long term users could attach their name into to give them private storage space.

Design and Materials

The design of the studio aims to create a functional space with as much flexibility as possible, to allow the users of the space to feel more freedom while working inside. Different types of working environment were set to give the users options of closed and open workspaces.

Materials used in designing the gallery are sustainable and environmentally conscious to suit the gallery’s image and aims. The number of materials used are minimal to match the image of the interior.

Studio Spaces

2nd floor's open workspace.

Library and study space on the second floor.

Private Workspace.

Mezzanine flooring's workspace.

The kitchenette.

The workshop.

Layout

The second floor of the studio aims to create an accessible workspace where most activities are placed. It accommodates open and closed working spaces to provide users with their needs.

It also includes a break area with a kitchenette away from the working environment, to avoid any distractions, into a more communicational space.

The mezzanine floor holds an extra open working space for artists to use with flexible desks as in the lower floor’s workspace.