Chinese Arts Centre

Chinese Arts Centre commissioned the award-winning Manchester architectural practice, OMI Architects to design the purpose built space which is located in Manchester’s regenerated Northern Quarter. The centre is located in the ICIAN development, a mix of business, leisure and residential units. This imaginative mix has been created from the 19th century Market buildings, a Manchester landmark with a Grade 2 listed status.OMI have a significant reputation in creating public spaces including the National Football Museum, Preston; Pumphouse People’s History Museum, Manchester and a contemporary church in Manchester’s city centre.A brief was created from the comments of artists, educators, and the Chinese community to which OMI have responded imaginatively. Drawing out elements of the building’s rich Victorian exterior, contrasting them with the contemporary elements of the interior and cleverly reinterpreting ‘Chinese’, OMI have avoided the pastiche. Instead, OMI have integrated ‘signifiers’ into the whole through placing traditional Chinese architectural features such as rich woods with traditional treatments, lacquers, columns and motifs into the building. These elements have been broken up, juxtaposed with the contemporary and placed in unexpected points through out the building. A full height black zinc wall, visible in the front of house area contains a 4m long linear strip housing a goldfish tank. The flashing colours of the swimming fish provide a vivid splash of colour against the zinc and goldfish are a potent symbol of good fortune and prosperity in Chinese communities worldwide.The new building houses to two spaces – a large gallery and a more flexible project space. The gallery is a stunningly designed, state of the art spaces and will be the ideal environment in which to celebrate and profile new work from artists of Chinese descent whether they are British born, from mainland China or part of the international Chinese Diaspora. The gallery is 150 metres sq and houses Chinese Arts Centre’s curated exhibitions and takes in tours from the national and international scene. Being able to present major contemporary exhibitions will be an opportunity for Chinese Arts Centre to challenge some of the long held preconceptions surrounding Chinese art. Designed as an elegant white box, its simple lines enhance the work on display. The gallery has a natural route through it terminating in a glass ‘opening’, overlooking a landscaped courtyard, which is part of the overall development. This point is created to give visitors a place to pause, think and contemplate.One of Chinese Arts Centre’s most important missions is to grow an infrastructure for Chinese Arts in the UK and beyond. The new building offers several ‘physical’ facilities for artists’ use. The project space of 50 sq. metres will be a studio for resident artists who are taking part in Chinese Art Centre’s Breathe residency programme and a space for open studios. With an on-site, self-contained apartment available for artists-in-residence, Chinese Arts Centre will become an important destination on the international map.The new building’s education suite has the very latest IT facilities available to enhance learning. This will mean that Chinese Arts Centre will continue to be at the forefront of disseminating information about Chinese creativity, from the traditional through to the contemporary. With a purpose built resource centre available for use by artists, students and the wider public, Chinese Arts Centre is a national flagship agency for contemporary Chinese arts.The move to a new home makes for major improvements to the physical experience of the building, both for staff and visitors. Improved offices and a dedicated meeting room will create a more spacious and attractive working environment. Visitors to Chinese Arts Centre will be able to enjoy improved facilities that are designed to be accessible and inviting to all. Visitors will be able to sit back and sample a unique selection of teas in a sumptuously decorated teahouse, featuring Chinese tea urns sourced from China, a first in Manchester, and to buy gifts, many handcrafted in China, in the centre’s shop