Stanley, Beaman & Sears Announce Winner of Re-Design Competition

August 8,2012

The City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce Stanley, Beaman & Sears as the winner of the 2012 creative design competition RE-DESIGN. This competition invited architectural firms to re-imagine a 3000-sf lobby space at 72 Marietta Street, formerly home to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The new function of this space will serve the City of Atlanta as a contemporary gallery, hosting local, national and international works of art on view for the public.

The City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce Stanley, Beaman & Sears as the winner of the 2012 creative design competition RE-DESIGN. This competition invited architectural firms to re-imagine a 3000sf lobby space at 72 Marietta Street, formerly home to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The new function of this space will serve the City of Atlanta as a contemporary gallery, hosting local, national and international works of art on view for the public.

A nine-story sculptural element along the façade will be the first noticeable revision to the building. This ornamental addition begins at the exterior of the top floor, winds down the south side of the building under the overhanging front awning and enters through the front doors, spanning the length of the lobby ceiling. The interior of the defined gallery area will be transformed in its’ entirety. Two galleries; a natural light gallery on the south side of the space will look to host visual and installation work while the north gallery will be light controlled and will serve as the ideal platform for digital art, video work and light sensitive installations.

“Our firm is absolutely thrilled to be selected to design the new gallery. Its location will positively impact this portion of Marietta Street and further support the City’s and Fulton County’s progressive stance regarding the importance of the arts. We believe in the power and lasting significance of the arts and look forward to working with the City to provide a space that allows the artwork within to shine,” said Betsy Beaman, AIA of Stanley, Beaman & Sears.

Throughout two selection sessions covering eight potential designs for the building, a panel of experts evaluated the potential design concerns and proposed solutions to the space. Discussions focused on the aesthetics of each design and the current needs within the art and general communities in Atlanta. The RE-DESIGN panel included: Commissioner James Shelby, Atlanta Department of Planning and Community Development, Brenda Galina PhD., Executive Director, Museum of Design Atlanta, Glen Cowart, City of Atlanta Facility Maintenance Administrator, Laura Mackinder, freelance Interior Designer and David Hamilton, AIA, Principal, Praxis 3 Architecture.

“The winner of this competition presented us with a spectacular concept and design.  This innovative piece of art will be a great example of what can be done to add exciting and creative features to new and existing buildings in the City of Atlanta,” said Commissioner James Shelby, Department of Planning and Community Development.

Dr. Brenda Galina, Executive Director of MODA added, “Stanley, Beaman and Sears did a fantastic job of designing a public art space.  This will be a wonderful addition to the cultural life of the city.”

Scheduled to open within the year, the centrally located gallery space will be an important element in the first steps to establishing the Office of Cultural Affairs City Gallery Program. This program will oversee multiple arts show spaces throughout Atlanta. Historically, the Office of Cultural Affairs has been guardian to significant exhibiting locations such as City Gallery East, Chastain Gallery and New Visions Gallery, programming local, national and internationally acclaimed exhibitions over 30 years.

“The re-creation of this building and incorporation of this gallery will be a significant milestone in Downtown Atlanta creative culture,” said Director Camille Russell Love. “We are excited to have the full support of Mayor Kasim Reed as we cultivate, promote and sustain contemporary art within our city center.”