Tate in Space | Architecture

StudioCousins

Competition | ETALAB | Softroom | Sarah Wigglesworth | Models

StudioCousins has won first place in the Tate in Space Student Architecture Competition.

StudioCousins was set up in 2002 by two brothers Matt and Will Cousins both graduates of the Bartlett School Of Architecture in London. Their interest lies in exploring the relationship between context and brief and between landscape and technology. Each project is designed to what suits it best rather than an overall style and tailored to individual clients’ needs pursuing unique and innovative solutions.
As well as creating analytical contextual solutions to architecture the practice also pursues innovative uses of materials and spaces.

The Tate in 24 - StudioCousins proposal for Tate in Space

Our initial thoughts about the Tate in Space competition were focused on the idea of a timeless, placeless progressive art gallery redefining the relationship between the user and art. We believe the future of art gallery such as this is how the user experiences the gallery and the art together. This is achieved by fusing the relationship between transparency and gravity through the earth’s daily cycle.

The idea is based on an undulating, dynamic gallery where art is viewed at the center of a spatially and temporally responsive space. To fully exploit the ‘Satellite Gallery’ this scheme uses the 24-hour cycle of the Tate’s orbit to create different worlds and zones within the gallery. The Tate‘s satellite was launched on June 6th 2002. It currently orbit’s 400km from Earth every 92.56 minutes and traverses the entire globe in the course of 15.56 orbits – 24 hours.

Images of the earth at the Tate’s particular position within the last 24 – hour cycle are shown in the different 24 segments. Art is viewed any way up – floor, becomes ceiling, which becomes wall. Depending on the Tate’s or the exhibition’s wishes the user can float through the different galleries and different earth zones clipping and securing themselves to various locations on each segment. It is also possible at times to alternate frequencies of gravity from being a conventional gallery to having weightlessness.

Each of the 24 segments digitally records an hour in different locations around the globe. Depending on the Tate’s wish the internal walls can be choreographed to their precise requirements allowing multiple gallery scenarios. Thus for example the user can experience the Himalayas at dawn and a waterfall in Brazil at dusk or simply left transparent whilst viewing a particular Tate exhibition. One end of the gallery could be night the other could be day depending on its location in orbit.

StudioCousins visualisation of the Tate in 24

StudioCousin's model of 'The Tate in 24' can be downloaded as a pdf file and made at home. To view the file you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader v4 or above on your computer.

Click Here to Download StudioCousins Model