Art for all

A masterful reimagining of an early 19th-century brewery has happened in London’s East End. The restored Gilbert and George Art centre merges the building’s historic essence with a modern vision.

Embracing contrasts

London’s East End has an eclectic past. Once an industrial hub for activities banned in the city, such as brewing and metalworking, it attracted wealthy visitors despite its rather shabby conditions.

The area became known for exactly this clear gap between wealth and poverty. Today, this contrast is reflected in the Gilbert & George Centre, which has become a captivating cultural destination that celebrates its industrial heritage while embracing avant-garde architectural spaces and art displays.

Juxtaposition of old and new

The result of this visionary project is the fully immersive Gilbert & George experience. Visitors enter through a hand-forged iron gate designed by the artists themselves, leading to a secluded cobblestone courtyard. The centre features three modern exhibition spaces, each varying in size and atmosphere, designed to showcase the artists’ large-scale works.

The entire visitor journey seamlessly blends old and new, from the building’s design and materials to the integrated technologies. Locally sourced and recycled materials, minimised demolition, and the reuse of original site material further reduced the project’s environmental impact.

Homage to Gilbert and George

One of the challenges that SIRS Architects faced was sourcing material for the project that met both practical and aesthetic requirements. wienerberger’s Smeed Dean Docklands Yellow Multi façade bricks and Smeed Dean London Stock Bullnose façade bricks were chosen for their close resemblance to the existing London Stock brickwork. Manuel Irsara, Co-Founder at SIRS Architects, explained: “While we wanted to design a highly sustainable, modern building, we also needed to pay homage to its colourful past. This meant blending the old historic fabric with new building parts. wienerberger’s range is extensive and offered us the ideal aesthetic solution for this building.

Our aim was to reinvigorate the area’s historic fabric, paying homage to the artist’s pioneering spirit and reverence for London’s rich and diverse cultural legacy, seeking to immerse visitors in the unique world of Gilbert & George through every detail. They have always thrived on having their voices heard and putting a distinctive stamp on their environment. The creation of their very first arts centre embodies their artistic vision perfectly.”