Llandudno gallery attracts 40,000 visitors
The Oriel Mostyn Gallery in North Wales said 40,000 people have visited the property since it re-opened in May following a redevelopment and expansion.
Image gallery below
Designed by Ellis Williams Architects, The Mostyn underwent a £5.1m refurbishment and restructure on the same site as the old gallery, located in a Victorian terrace building on Vaughan Street.
Louise Sheridan, from Ellis Williams Architects, said: "Oriel Mostyn Gallery are delighted to announce this week that the new building has attracted over 40,000 visitors. This has exceeded visitor numbers by double those anticipated and is a real success story for both the quality of architecture and art collection. The new gallery spaces offer the largest space in Wales for display of contemporary art."
The gallery was closed for four years during construction, carried out by builders RL Davies & Son, before it re-opened in May this year.
Martin Barlow, director of Mostyn, added: "The team wanted the new building to function very well for visitors, staff and exhibiting artists alike. The exhibition spaces needed to be enhanced and added to; education and support facilities needed to be provided or improved. The simplicity and unique daylight qualities of the original Victorian gallery were to be maintained and there was an ambition to enhance the gallery's presence on the site."
Barlow said the challenge for Ellis Williams Architects and the rest of the design team was to carve a new building, with increased facilities and enhanced spaces within the existing building's footprint.
The Ellis Williams design team created four new galleries and had to incorporate the reception and café areas housed in the existing building into its plans.
Consultants Chandler KBS, as project managers, quantity surveyors Boyden & Company, and structural engineers Buro Happold were also part of the team working on the refurbishment and expansion.
The Oriel Mostyn Gallery received a £3m capital Lottery grant from the Arts Council of Wales towards the project. The other £2.1m came from funders including the Welsh Assembly Government, Heritage Lottery Fund, Cadw, Llandudno Council, Mostyn Estates, Carlton North Wales, Foyle Foundation, Rayne Foundation, Colwinston Charitable Trust, Nigel Moores Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Foundation for Sport and the Arts, and Friends of Oriel Mostyn.
Below are some photographs taken from inside and outside the gallery:
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