Stephen Friedman Gallery by David Kohn is infused with subtly playful elegance
Stephen Friedman Gallery gets a new home by David Kohn in London, filled with elegant details and colourful accents
When we first visited the new Stephen Friedman gallery on Cork Street, in London’s Mayfair, we knew we were unlikely to encounter the 'white box' often associated with the art world. When the acclaimed gallerist had decided to relocate his business to the new address (moving from nearby Old Burlington Street), he had called upon David Kohn. The award-winning London architect is known for his considered and characterful takes that often play with colour and shape, as seen in projects such as the Red House, which won RIBA House of the Year 2022.
Step inside the Stephen Friedman Gallery by David Kohn
The new Stephen Friedman Gallery is generous, including ample exhibition space with a street-facing, glass-glazed frontage; expansive, bespoke-designed offices for the business's staff; and a bonus rear garden, which is perfect for events and art activations, offering a flexible, mini urban sculpture park in the heart of London.
'I wanted to rethink the gallery,' Kohn says, explaining that he was keen to create a flowing, unified space – front and back – and windows to get daylight in, for the displays, yes, but also for the staff working there daily. 'And the outside space here is for all [visitors and staff]. There’s a kiosk, a terrace, and it’s very much used by everyone.'
Inside, it's all about material surfaces and details, with bespoke timber joinery elevating the interior throughout. Kohn stresses it was important for him to introduce a design that speaks to the human scale – that feels warm and comfortable but also refined.
It is a combination that resonates with the gallerist too. 'I love the mix of design and art, it’s the way I like to live. It creates a very comfortable environment,' Stephen Friedman says.
The circulation spaces connecting everything were pivotal in the openness of this design – from the softly curved staircase in the gallery to the beautifully sculptural workspace at the rear, and the bright blue terrace steps that lead to a little balcony, its outline playfully, abstractly shaped like an elephant.
'The flow is great,’ says Kohn. 'The joinery has a coherent, curved language. There’s a feeling and an encouragement to move between spaces and take the journey through the gallery.'
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Friedman says: 'Our ambition, along with [property owner] The Pollen Estate and David Kohn, is for the gallery to become a leading space both creatively and functionally. Cork Street’s history and its revival as an arts destination is a testament to London as a vital part of the global art world. We are incredibly proud to work with such exceptional artists and want to support them in the best ways we can. By undertaking such a significant development, we are creating a major pathway towards future growth.'
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).
-
A guide to Frank Gehry's architecture: mesmerising, expressive and sometimes controversial
Canadian-American Frank Gehry has earned his position in the hall of fame of contemporary architects through a wealth of groundbreaking designs; here, we explore why, how, and his key projects
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A nature-inspired exhibition takes root at California's Salmon Creek Farm
'Jinen' presents new works by Dan John Anderson, Kazunori Hamana, Yu Kobayashi, and Ido Yoshimoto at Fritz Haeg’s cultural commune and creative hub in California’s redwood forest
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Chanel Comète: the exclusive fragrance creates the scent of stardust on your skin
As Chanel releases Comète, the latest fragrance from Les Exclusifs de Chanel, its creator Olivier Polge speaks with Laura Bailey about his process
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
2024 RIBA Gold Medal recipient Lesley Lokko: ‘To be valued, understood and seen by your peers is rare’
Lesley Lokko receives the 2024 RIBA Gold Medal in a dedicated celebration in London, and talks to us about taking stock after a busy few years, and planning for the future
By Ellie Stathaki Last updated
-
The Emory, RSHP’s first luxury hotel in London, is a rising star
New London hotel The Emory presents the perfect showcase of RSHP’s signature functionalist style and hospitality group Maybourne’s elevated luxury
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Inside Harry Handelsman's Manhattan Loft Gardens penthouse in London
Manhattan Loft Corporation CEO Harry Handelsman's Manhattan Loft Gardens penthouse in London goes on the market for £17.5m
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Architects collaborate on geometric extension to radically re-shape a London house
Mediterranean influences, earthy tones and quirky angles abound in this geometric extension and the soaring living spaces of this reconfigured Victorian townhouse
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Space Un celebrates contemporary African art, community and connection in Japan
Space Un, a new art venue by Edna Dumas, dedicated to contemporary African art, opens in Tokyo, Japan
By Nana Ama Owusu-Ansah Published
-
London’s Reciprocal House complements an existing Norman Foster extension
Reciprocal House by Gianni Botsford replaces a north London Victorian structure, preserving its early Norman Foster extension and bringing the whole to the 21st century
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Henry Wood House’s postmodernist bones are refreshed by Nice Projects in London
Nice Projects breathes new life into the Henry Wood House in London, offering ample flexible office spaces for modern workers
By Daven Wu Published
-
‘Bio-spaces’ exhibition at Roca London Gallery celebrates biophilic design
‘Bio-Spaces: regenerative, resilient futures’ opens at the Roca London Gallery as ‘a call to action to stop designing nature out’
By Clare Dowdy Published