A new visual arts building with regional, national and international significance, designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects.
firstsite:newsite will be a new type of social building for cultural activity. It will provide a wide range of facilities from new creative spaces to conferencing and screening facilities, places to shop, eat, and drink - for meeting up with friends and colleagues. For schools and the regional community, an ambitious outreach programme will build on current achievements to make creativity have an impact across the region. It will have significant artistic, architectural and social impact, presenting new work in new ways to capture the imagination of artists and audiences alike. It will develop the full potential of the firstsite brand and become a key ingredient in the East of England´s economic and cultural growth.
firstsite:newsite is based on the remarkable success of the contemporary visual arts organisation firstsite, currently based at the minories art gallery. firstsite has built an international reputation by featuring artists such as Anthony Gormley, Louise Bourgeois and Bridget Riley and seen audiences grow from 12,000 to over 70,000 in eight years. The building, which will enable firstsite to realise its full potential, is due to open in 2007. To see more of the proposed plans and read about it's full potential, visit the firstsite website.
