Delfina expands to become London’s largest residency host.
Delfina Foundation exterior, 2012.
Delfina Foundation is delighted to announce London-based Studio Octopi and Cairo-based Shahira Fahmy Architects are the winning duo of an architecture competition for the expansion of the Foundation. When we re-open in autumn 2013, Delfina Foundation will be the largest international residency space in London offering, at least, 32 residencies a year for artists, curators and writers.
From our current location in a period townhouse at 29 Catherine Place, near Buckingham Palace, we will expand into the adjacent building at 31 Catherine Place, doubling our residency and exhibition space, totalling 4564 square feet.
Upholding our key mission of facilitating cultural exchange with the greater Middle East and North Africa region, Delfina Foundation launched an invited competition to promote design collaboration between architects based in the UK and the greater Middle East. Nous Collective, a leading agency that engages architecture and design for branding, marketing and advertising projects, managed the competition. Studio Octopi and Shahira Fahmy Architects presented the winning proposal, which proposes to retain the domesticity of the two houses, exploring the notion of the hearth in a home.
Adopting the role of architect cum archaeologists, the two firms presented an environment which is layered and contextual: while peeling back the layers of ornamentation and finish to expose the period craftsmanship of the buildings, they opened up the two buildings to bring in more light and create 1650 square feet of exhibition and event space, as well as 8 bedrooms with flexible artist workspaces throughout the property. As the UK-based firm, Studio Octopi will lead the design development, construction documents, preparation of bid documents, planning applications, construction administration and oversight.
For the full press release and a visualisation of the future space, see our Press Release.