Tuesday 1st October, Site Visit One.

Today was the first day of the project so I begun by visiting the site of the Vulcan Building to further understand it. Approaching the building I immediately noticed a lot of symmetry and arches on the façade, which made it appear very grand, drawing me towards it. I then noticed the colours and textures, such as the red, brown and grey bricks as well as their shape and size. Close up they looked very individual and separated but from a distance, they created patterns and gradients as they joined with the windows and roof. Interestingly, the surrounding buildings were made from similar materials yet the Vulcan building still subtly stood out, due to its old, worn-out brickwork contrasting with the new, clean brickwork from the surrounding buildings. This, along with the clock tower and its gold elements, makes the Vulcan building stand out in the site, pulling visitors towards any attractions nearby.

The Vulcan Building.

Model of Aspex Gallery located inside the gallery.

In order to begin organising everything I was observing I made visual, audible and textural notes. I took photos and made drawings of surrounding views focusing on scale, composition and colour, then using graphite and paper I took note of the texture on various surfaces such as brick and wood. Going into ‘Aspex Gallery’ -inside the Vulcan building- I saw the original exposed structure, which helped me better understand and visualize the space I would be working with. The wood beams were linear, stretching parallel across the roof and in some parts supported by modern steel beams. I could see how the space had changed over time and where new and old architecture intertwined with each other.

Making graphite markings of texture and the results, + 1 minute live sketch of the interior of the Giggling Squid restaurant.

When I came back to the studio I compiled my notes, made a site map, did some research on the client -Harris Reed- and began thinking about how the exhibition would exist inside the Vulcan building, which has been there for nearly 3 centuries. Reed describes himself as gender fluid and this is reflective in his work, which transcends through different genres, styles and eras. I really want the exhibition to reflect him and these elements, which I will do by maintaining as much of the original character of the existing space. The exhibition will showcase modern fashion in a space with rich history that transcends being from a specific time period. It is not just about what I will create it is also about what has come before. Now that I had some idea on which direction I wanted to go, I decided that I would revisit the site and see if I had missed out on anything before the next studio session.

Alcohol marker and fine liner pen sketches in response to textural notes.

Live pencil/pen sketches of the site structure and interior