Artisanctuary

The advent of the internet revolutionized the way that art was taught, shared, and appreciated. If in the past, guilds gathered like-minded craftsmen to one physical space to encourage collaboration and the supporting of one another, today, various social media and online groups have been able to take over this role in a similar, albeit different way. Artists from all different cultures, educations, and styles can now interact and learn from one another with an ease of access that was next to impossible before, allowing a global support network to be formed for creators all over the world. Physical distance and borders are no longer obstacles to the making of beautiful collaborations between individual creators and even entire disciplines, which in turn contributes to the continuously and rapidly evolving standards of every field. 

But if anything can be learned from this most recent pandemic that forced many to work remotely and online in an isolated setting, it is that nothing can fully replace the intimacy and tangible essence of connecting with people face-to-face. And so the question then arises, how will a space that can bring the best of both the digital and traditional aspects of artist guilds of the past and of today look like? How can it draw people to physically gather in a time where the convenience of the internet is making in-person gatherings less and less frequent? What can it offer that simply using social media cannot?

Palette aims to create this palpable haven for today's creative minds that is more than just a larger co-working office space, but a place that encourages innovation and creates a strong sense of community for all who use it that cannot be found solely on the internet. 

The radial form of the building itself is inspired from the paint palettes that artists used to paint, where each individual color has its own place before it is mixed with others to create new ones. The building's programmatic layout does the same thing. Varying forms of art all have their own respective studio and working spaces throughout the building, but they all converge and look upon the reflection pool that is framed by the building itself. For artists looking to find new collaborators, or simply a peaceful place of contemplation as they search for their next inspiration, they can stand at the center of all these different working spaces and the varying creative energies that other artists exude, knowing that they are a part of one community.

The double-height arcade that surrounds the exterior of the building acts as both a buffer from the public and a gallery space for the artists to display their work to one another and to the general public who can peer in from the outside. While Palette is primarily designed for those who create, appreciate and celebrate art in their daily lives, the sharing of such creations to the rest of the world is an integral part of what today's artists need. Just as social media has allowed an individual creator's reach to be broadened, the arcade and louver-system facade that wraps around the building enables the sharing of one's art to people outside the community as well. Combined with the various smaller display spaces that are interspersed all throughout the building, the physical form of Palette becomes the new, tangible social image sharing site, where artists are tangibly constantly surrounded by art. 

The beams that make up the structure of the building and hold the louvers, also support a rail system that can be used to attach movable screens to change the layout of the second-floor studios. This means that the space itself can evolve and change with the needs of the artists using it at the moment, and gives them the freedom to alter it at will, following their own creative direction. Combined with how each individual louver is operable, and Palette becomes a building that is just as fluid as the art that is being created inside it.

The lounge, cafe, and various open spaces found both inside and outside the building are also designed to be conducive to the brewing of new ideas in a collaborative setting. A non-conventional cafe layout for the artists encourages the meeting of new people and the feeling of a community as the tables and seats merge and change together. The open atrium at the entrance acts as a kind of foyer that can host meetings and open events, while also signaling the transition into this new creative sanctuary. The digital screening room enables digital creators to also share their works in new medias, in a communal setting. The outdoor auditorium does the same thing for performers. The sculpture garden and moments of seclusion within the outside landscaping also allows artists to work in different settings, and with different sizes of groups to create the best work of art that they can.

Palette aims to recreate the benefits of the internet in a tangible form, so that artists can find themselves drawn to a physical space to meet, interact, and grow together. The third floor houses a few artist residency spaces for those who would like to stay longer-term. For others, perhaps it is simply a place they happen upon during their creative journeys. For someone else, perhaps it is a regular place of creation that they visit every day. Ultimately, Palette aspires to bring people from all walks of life and colors to converge and find respite and joy within a visionary community in one, tangible, innovative space.