National Art Gallery-Nairobi

Abstract

There is an urgent need in Kenya for a national art gallery. A public art gallery that can cater for works of art (especially fine art) produced locally. Such a gallery could also be a place for periodic exhibitions of art work. Currently art work is exhibited in small art galleries in and outside Nairobi. These private galleries are not only too small but most of them were not originally designed as art galleries. The project is aimed at an art gallery that would provide an intellectual atmosphere in which an artist finds enrichment for his own work and ideas and in which the public can assimilate the artistic culture required by the mind of the modern man. This cultural institution will have an auditorium (lecture hall). library, school of art and n small restaurant. The museum of art in this project was conceived as an institution which performs the following functions:- collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting cultural objects of our environment. The mission of which is twofold, the 'advancement and diffusion of knowledge, and enhancement of that awareness which affords pleasure and delight'. This thesis project belongs to a much neglected field here in Kenya and very little work has been done from an architectural point of view, leave alone lack of documented information - so the exercise must be considered as exploratory work. It is rather my personal interpretation in response to the needs of a national art gallery based in Nairobi ~ one of the many possible ways a gallery could be. The thesis is dealt in three main parts. Part I. Attempts to analyse the needs and the role as well as the technical problems associated with galleries. Identification of the basic design determinants is also tackled in a conceptual manner. Part II. Involves the application of the design paramenters in form of Environment, services, construction, materials, landscaping, townscape etc. Priorities are given to circulation, flexibility and sighting. Site planning is also involved. This part is where synthesis is done. Part III. Is mainly about evaluation. An appraisal as concerns form as well as building performance - as relates to structure, technology, environmental control, services as well as aesthetics. In conclusion the design envolved, though not a prototype, is an would be quite symphathetic one. Symphathetic atmosphere was one of the objective of this projects from outside the building is a piece of art. Inside art takes over. This thesis project belongs to a much neglected field here in Kenya and very little work has been done from an architectural point of view, leave alone lack of documented information - so the exercise must be considered as exploratory work. It is rather my personal interpretation in response to the needs of a national art gallery based in Nairobi- one of the many possible ways a gallery could be. The thesis is dealt in three main parts. Part I. Attempts to analyse the needs and the role as well as the technical problems associated with galleries. Identification of the basic design determinants is also tackled in a conceptual manner. Part II. Involves the application of the design paramenters in form of Environment, services, construction, materials, landscaping, townscape etc. Priorities are given to circulation, flexibility and sighting. Site planning is also involved. This part is where synthesis is done. Part III. Is mainly about evaluation. An appraisal as concerns form as well as building performance - as relates to structure, technology, environmental control, services as well as aesthetics. In conclusion the design envolved, though not a prototype, is and would be quite symphathetic one. Symphathetic atmosphere was one of the objective of this project$ From outside the building is a piece of art. Inside art takes over.