Ibañez Shaw's Fort Worth Camera Studios land in Texas

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Fort worth camera studio by Ibañez Shaw Architecture
A new hub for photography aficionados has landed in Fort Worth, Texas
(Image credit: Courtesy of local practice Ibañez Shaw Architecture)

Fort Worth is blessed with a wide range of cultural institutions by an enviable array of international architecture heavyweights. With Louis Khan's Kimbell Art Museum (including Renzo Piano's recent extension) and a modern art museum by Tadao Ando, the Texan city easily earns its spot within the world architecture map. The latest contemporary addition is a new photography hub on Montgomery Street, courtesy of local firm Ibañez Shaw Architecture. It sits just a stone's throw from the museum district and across the street from The Museum of Science and History by Legoretta +Legoretta.

Split into two wings that are set on different levels, the structure is a concrete complex comprising photography classrooms, studios, and a retail area. The strong geometry and clean lines are reflected in all areas of the building – with a distinctive pattern of round perforations adorning parts of the facade, and referencing, explain the architects, the ‘graphic proportionality of seven standard apertures that restrict how much light is allowed to enter the camera'. Extra care was taken when these were designed, so that openings are conically flared to ‘increase the visual transparency and graphic presentation', continues the team.

Yellow box hosts a play area for children.

The concrete building's protruding yellow box hosts a play area for children.

(Image credit: Courtesy of local practice Ibañez Shaw Architecture)

The structure's strong character continues inside, with the retail area featuring glass shelving, so as not to detract from the overall concrete feel. A spectrum of cameras is spread across the shelves, becoming a key ornamental focus for the room.

Still, the complex maintains a healthy level of playfulness. A yellow box unexpectedly protrudes from the concrete volume, containing the hub's children's area; while a umbrella-shaped photo-studio light illuminates the conference room near the upper level entry. Reflectors are used above the cashiers in the retail space, bouncing daylight and illuminating the interior in a true photographic fashion.

camera studio by Ibañez Shaw Architecture in forth worth

The scheme consists of photography classrooms, studios, and a retail area

(Image credit: Courtesy of local practice Ibañez Shaw Architecture)

camera studio by Ibañez Shaw Architecture in forth worth, texas

The project sits on Montgomery Street, a stone’s throw from the Ameircan city’s cultural district

(Image credit: Courtesy of local practice Ibañez Shaw Architecture)

Fort worth camera studio by Ibañez Shaw Architecture in texas

The concrete structure foregrounds the Museum of Science and History by Legoretta +Legoretta

(Image credit: Courtesy of local practice Ibañez Shaw Architecture)

New photographic hub by Ibañez Shaw Architecture in texas

The facade’s concrete screen is punctuated by holes, adding a graphic element to building...

(Image credit: Courtesy of local practice Ibañez Shaw Architecture)

New photographic hub by Ibañez Shaw Architecture in forth worth

...while referencing the amount of light allowed into a camera

(Image credit: Courtesy of local practice Ibañez Shaw Architecture)

New photographic hub by Ibañez Shaw Architecture in forth worth, texas

Glass shelves remain discreet so as not to detract from the concrete’s strong character

(Image credit: Courtesy of local practice Ibañez Shaw Architecture)

Ibañez Shaw Architecture design fort worth camera studio

A photo studio umbrella-shaped light illuminates a conference room

(Image credit: Courtesy of local practice Ibañez Shaw Architecture)

INFORMATION
For more information visit the Ibañez Shaw Architecture website

Ellie Stathaki
Ellie Stathaki

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).