Built to house works created by its namesake, sculptress Barbara Hepworth, as well as other British contemporary artists, visitors will be able to augment their visual experience through a variety of multi-media talks, presentations and lectures in the Charcoalblue-designed auditorium.
Charcoalblue's design director, Gavin Green, collaborated with Chipperfields to deliver a balance of style and technical wizardry in the space. Green, who is fresh from the launch of the RSC's new 1,000-seat theatre, says , "Working alongside a world-respected, multi award-winning architectural firm like Chipperfields has been an honour and an extremely rewarding learning experience. In addition, contributing to the design of what's sure to become one of the UKs most important national icons to British art has been exhilarating."
Charcoalblue has created a flexible, re-configurable space, which allows speedy transformation from one layout to another - from a fully blacked out theatre to a natural light- filled exhibition space. The room can support every type of event from complex, multimedia, surround sound and video environments and performance style showst hrough to power point style presentations and informal meetings.
Ian Stickland, AV consultant for Charcoalblue on the project comments, "We specified fully integrated, intuitive AMX touch screens, which offer end users easy to understand control interfaces between them and the sophisticated lighting, audio and video networks. To keep things straightforward we've programmed a number of pre-determined room environments into the system, which can be recalled at the touch of a virtual button! However this does not prevent the more experienced programmer ordesigner from directly accessing technical systems and programming bespoke lighting, sound and video solutions for each event."
Key technical features include high-resolution projection, dynamic theatre style lighting and control, full Dolby surround sound and automated black out blinds for the full height windows that run along one wall. A flexible seating system for up to 100 ensures the auditorium can be cleared easily and seats stack quickly and neatly into visually discreet storage areas.
At the openingWakefield Council leader Peter Box said,"After so many years in the making, it's tremendous to see the gallery opening. It will be a fantastic facility for both local people and visitors to the region. The Hepworth will bring economic and cultural benefits, celebrating our heritage and encouraging more investment in the future, placing Wakefield as a major centre for visitors from all over the country and abroad."
(Jim Evans)
