By AIA Wyoming
Location: Casper, WY
Size: 8,500 sq ft
Category: Adaptive Reuse
With one foot planted in the past and one in the future, this project was conceived when the artist guild sought to relocate to the city center with a new brand identity. An historic warehouse structure located in a gritty former industrial district was selected — a locale that affords close proximity and engagement with other contemporary galleries.
The structure had maintained a warehouse use thru the years, and it was meaningful to retain that character while accommodating the contemporary use. The structure’s history inspired a warehouse concept where the original building components are reinvigorated, exposed and returned to their original character. In contrast, modern components are integrated to contrast and complement, and historical elements are salvaged, reclaimed and repurposed.
The response included a design-build approach with the contractor, architect and owner partnering to expedite the construction, ensure quality, and save funds. This team approach allowed the sourcing of materials during the construction process to fit the vision and budget and blurred the traditional project approach’s lines.
The program encompasses three main spaces for artists of all disciplines:
- artist training studio
- gallery
- retail gift shop
A very modest budget drove the inclusion of only the essential program components.
The structure’s divergent construction types represent the structure’s evolution over time, and these distinctions provide a connection to the past and are honored through the program space assignments.
The structure was cleaned and exposed, which allowed the space’s warehouse texture to resonate by stripping paint to expose original brickwork and polishing the heavily worn concrete floors. Reclaimed counterweight doors and historic warehouse carts were restored and integrated into the new vocabulary of the space. Modern components are juxtaposed against the existing texture and treated with contemporary and honest warehouse themes. Volunteer artists crafted movable gallery exhibit panels of salvaged wood and collaborated with the mechanical engineer to create artistic designs in the ductwork for air distribution.
With its realization, Art 321 has completed a bold reemergence as the source for both aspiring and established artists in the region and was recently honored with the prestigious Governors Arts Award for their efforts in creating this new ethos.
AIA Wyoming
This story appears in the 2020 Directory of the Wyoming Architecture Magazine.
