The Roca Gallery in London

In October Roca Gallery opened its fourth and last showroom in London, in Chelsea Harbour. As the Roca Gallery showrooms are famous for their sophisticatedly overhelming interior architecture Zaha Hadid Architects studio was chosen to firm this gran final project. I have written about her already before in the occasion of the opening of MAXXI, the National Museum of 21st century arts, in Rome (click here for my photos I took at the event, and here for the information post), she is the architecture it-girl of the decade, if not of the century!

On my visit to the gallery I was kindly invited to return for a special guided tour and here are the pictures I took. The tour was held by one of the architects from the Zaha Hadid Architects studio and the manager of site construction who introduced us the project from concept to realization process of each singular element of the interiors. Nice refreshements we're also offered. So before showing you my pictures here is a sketch of the space and some explanations of the idea:



"The concept for Roca London Gallery is inspired by the various phases and states of water. Water acts as the transformational element moving across the façade, carving out the interior and moving through the main gallery as individual drops."

Every single piece in that space, from concrete panels to floor tiles, were custom made and delivered to the place from different parts of Europe. For this every single detail had to be calculated and re-checked several times before the production process was started. In the production not only handy craftsmen were involved but also artists and sculptors.

"In order to achieve the complexity of the design and do justice to the original concept, it was essential for the project to start the conversation with the engineers, consultants and fabricators at an early design stage. GRC (glass reinforced concrete) and GRG (glass reinforced gypsum) were approved as the materials to respond and meet best the challenge of translating the fluid forms into built environment.
The GRC and GRG fabricator input specified the constraints and rules of manufacturing and installation which in turn informed and developed the architectural concept. Rationalisation techniques were naturally applied and embedded as logical part of the design language.

Straight vertical joints and a horizontal joint at 2.20m were adequately implemented to answer the challenge. The maximum size of the interior GRC panels is 3x5m and the full height facade panels are 2x4m. The two materials were applied with respect to their natural qualities as continuous white surface of the GRG curved gallery walls and exposed natural concrete GRC panels within the product display environments and the facade."

"The complex free-form architectural language reflecting fluidity and nature is driven by the new digital design tools and the constant evolution of digitally controlled manufacturing, fabrication and contemporary construction mechanisms, processes and methods."

"GRP (glass reinforced plastics/ fibre glass) is the material used for the fabrication of the main gallery ‘pods’ serving as lighting elements, shelves and tables and all of the bespoke furniture that includes reception desk, bar, conference table and product display shelves. Subdivision Surface modelling in Maya is the used digital design tool."

The gallery is open for public and in the future it intends to give space for social and cultural events, exhibitions and installations.

Opening times
Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m

How to get there
London Overground: Imperial Warf Tube station is right next to the gallery.

Contact and information for up-coming events
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7610 9503
info.londongallery@roca.net

Full adress
Roca London Gallery
Station Court
Imperial Wharf
London SW6 2PY

Website
http://www.rocalondongallery.com/en/home