Rhode Island Foundation Art Gallery

One of the missions of the Rhode Island Foundation has been to showcase and support local artists, but in their previous home they lacked a proper venue. Therefore, the second major design objective of this two-part project for Lerner | Ladds + Bartels was to carve an art gallery out of a number of smaller rooms including the cafeteria and kitchen. The corridor leading to the main gallery, intended to exhibit black and white photography, received a brick-colored paint with a silver ceiling, while the main gallery walls remained classic white. To celebrate the 15-foot high windows while skirting in-place mechanical systems,
the architect designed a curved ceiling, painted metallic silver, which drapes within the otherwise purely rectangular space. Moveable folding panels are
designed to allow additional exhibit space within the gallery and a flexible layout.
Frameless glass walls divide the space into functional rooms while allowing clear dialogue between the gallery and adjoining conference rooms.