f22 foto space
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
2017
Translating photography art into spatial experiences
Occupying three floors of a building in Wan Chai, f22 foto space is a cultural hub and a contemporary gallery dedicated to photography art and design. We worked closely with engineers to meticulously translate camera elements into spatial experiences, immersing visitors in the world of craftsmanship and photography culture.
The lens door
Two architectural features, the “lens door” and the “aperture stairs,” define the exhibition space. We studied camera development and used design elements from various generations of camera lenses to design the door. Paired with smart technology, the rotational Lens Door controls the amount of light at the entrance space through the opening of the aperture.
The lens door creates a pocket space for a reception or a photo spot when rotates at 180 degrees. The same space also functions as a waiting area during seminars for latecomers to watch relay without disturbing other audiences.
The aperture stairs
Sitting across from the camera door, the aperture stairs form part of an ongoing spatial dialogue between photography and design. Inspired by the camera aperture, the circular stairs play with light, shadow, and speed. It connects the two black-and-white gallery spaces, offering a smooth spatial transition.
Constrained by the low ceiling height and loading limitation, the construction of the stairs was extremely difficult. We built a large structural frame on the 7/F to hang the stairs from above to transfer the weight to the columns. To achieve precise twisting, 3-D printing and casting were used to fabricate the stairs.
Time as a material
To capture the interaction between the photographer and their camera, both the camera door and aperture stairs were fabricated using brass and painted in black. Over time, the black paint will peel off to reveal the brass underneath, documenting f22’s interaction with visitors.
Architizer A+ Award
Winner, Jury Award
American Institute of Architects International Award
Merit Winner
Design Anthology Award
Winner
Design for Asia Award
Bronze
FRAME Award
Winner, Best Craftsmanship
German iF Design Award
Winner
German Red Dot Design Award
Winner
Perspective A&D Award
Best Institution Award
Taiwan Golden Pin Design Award
Winner
Interior Design, Contracting, Authorized Person for BD Submission
2017
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
10,500 sqft
f22 foto space
Carlow Architecture & Design, Milkxhake, Linko, BeFRANK, Yasuhiro Kaneda, Studio Coming Soon
Otto Ng, Chun Hang Yip, Kevin Chau, CK Wong, Yin Lih Tham, Catherine Cheng, Daisy Lam, Tat Lau, Anderson Chan, Tin Chan, Zion Chan, Jason Choi, Jesse Hao, Ming Ho, Venessa Mok, Kelvin Lam, Theodora Li, Phoebe Ng, Janis Poon, Stephanie Siu, Carolyn Tam, Ricci Wong, Donald Wu, Happy Yam, Chloe Yau, Yazh Yip