Swansea
Print Workshop @
Kings
Lane Warehouse
now viewing: Kings Lane Warehouse / The New Building / Research
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Research
The design of this area of the building is central to the whole scheme. It is important that it functions well within the constraints of the existing building; the other elements will follow foot.
To understand what makes a successful print room layout, SWA (Sarah Wigglesworth Architects) accompanied SPW (Swansea Print Workshop) on a research trip to Scotland to visit Edinburgh Print Studio and Glasgow Print Workshop. The Edinburgh Print Workshop is an example of an ecological facility with processes and requirements similar to those of SPW. Like the Edinburgh Print Workshop, it was SPW’s aspiration to have a largely open plan facility with minimal extraction equipment.
Scotland has a long established network of Print Workshops which are highly successful in promoting the original print as an affordable piece of art work by often well known artists with international reputations. Their specialized knowledge is valued by artists and collectors alike and their activities over the past thirty years has produced an invaluable archive of printmaking activity for future generations. They have also been successful in marketing the work and raising the level of awareness of the potential of printmaking on an international level. They have been world leaders in researching new printmaking techniques.
In addition to documenting exemplar workshops in Scotland, SWA were provided with a list of desired equipment, illustrated profiles of each step of the various processes and a flow chart outlining these.
Several proposals for the layout of the print room floor were developed and explored, in conjunction with the client, until the best solution was reached. The circulation core, structural grid, and service risers are set out in order to optimise the layout of the print workshop. In the end, the client expressed the desire to expand the print workshop beyond the single floor originally provided in the schedule of accommodation; it was decided a mezzanine would provide ancillary accommodation as well as a small teaching area.
The digital workshop was also relocated to another floor. Because certain elements of printmaking processes are shared, it is important that they are integrated into a functional network.
The print room is designed on two levels, with intaglio and relief to the west and screenprinting to the east. Between them are the main vertical circulation core and shared facilities, including several of the areas requiring sound isolation, blackout, and extraction. Their central placement minimizes circulation through the workshop and maximizes workspace in addition to minimizing overhead duct and/or pipe runs and maximizing ceiling height.
Views into the print room floor are provided from the Urban Village Courtyard, with delivery access for the presses to the north. Existing openings are retained along the south and expended along the east facade allowing for abundant natural light and cross ventilation, minimizing reliance on mechanical systems. In addition, rainwater harvested from the roof will be stored for daily use in the print workshop, extending its sustainable credentials even further.
It is important to note that it is proposed that this floor will have a large amount of printing equipment located in the space, which may present some circulation difficulties to wheelchair users accessing the machinery. The layout of equipment will need to be optimised by the client and kept under review.
The following files (illustrated on the left) are available as downloadable pdfs. Their use is in conjunction with our copyright statement
- Proposed layout of press room and processing areas in the new facility
- Processing map illustrating projected movement between workshop areas during different stages of printing techniques