Frieze Masters, an art fair that offers a contemporary perspective on art through the ages, is located in a temporary structure that is reused annually. The fair includes over 100 of the world’s leading galleries presenting pre-21st century art, ranging from the ancient era and old masters to the late 20th century. Selldorf Architects created a design that literally and figuratively showcases art in a new light. Located on Gloucester Green in London’s Regent Park, the design brings the park environment inside with several transparent exterior walls and a layout that includes public squares and walkways lined with seating
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Rather than organizing works chronologically, the fair juxtaposes art from diverse periods, establishing a dialogue across centuries. Starting from the premise of functionality as critical, the design takes advantage of the inherent geometry of the tent system without trying to deny its presence. A light scrim just under the tent’s structure diffuses natural light and amplifies the overall feeling of openness. Individual galleries are housed in a series of stands which are scaled for the intimacy of viewing the artworks and defined with ceilings and corner columns.
The exhibitors utilized a carefully calibrated palette of greys and whites for the walls and ceiling scrims which provided flexibility for the range of art on display while also maintaining a coherent unified appearance for the fair.
- Client:Frieze Masters
- Location:London, England
- Date:2012
(Photography: Courtesy of Frieze)