Lady Barber Gallery

The historic Barber Institute building at the Edgbaston campus of the University of Birmingham has been thoughtfully refurbished by Associated Architects. The Art Deco building, recognised as one of the most important examples in the city, was upgraded to Grade I listed status in recent years in recognition of its exceptional design and cultural value.

The building houses the Lady Barber Gallery where Associated Architects’ design carefully preserves the heritage and historical details while introducing contemporary elements to make sure the gallery is equipped with the facilities needed for a modernday museum.

The Lady Barber gallery, home to one of the finest small European art collections in the UK, is designed to allow for flexible exhibition displays with a light colour palette. Associated Architects specified Junckers Oak Herringbone flooring installed with a contrasting pattern border to reflect the gallery’s history and add a timeless elegance to the modernised space.

Said Sarish Younis, Senior Architect, Associated Architects:

“The vision for the project was to conserve the Lady Barber Gallery’s architectural and spatial characteristics. The transition between old and new spaces was carefully considered through refined joinery details and sensitive material choices. The use of  a herringbone pattern paid tribute to the original gallery flooring, while a lighter colour palette introduced a fresh sense of modernity to the renewed gallery spaces.”

Junckers’ solid Oak Herringbone staves measure 16 x 68 x 408 mm can be installed not just in a single herringbone pattern but also in ladder, square basket, English or four-strip herringbone patterns. Made in solid hardwood, the floor will easily exceed a design life of 60+ years with the right care. Delivered unfinished, Oak Herringbone is treated with an oil and/or lacquer at installation.

With a commitment to preserving the building’s historical character while meeting the functional needs of a modern gallery space, Associated Architect’s refurbishment work was carefully considered, ensuring compliance with the Conservation Plan and heritage sensitivities of the building. The process included extensive consultations with Birmingham City Council’s Conservation Team and Historic England.

Refurbishment and adaptation of buildings provides significant environmental opportunities compared with new build as there will usually be less waste from demolition, and therefore a lower burden upon landfill, reprocessing, transport, and reduced use of raw materials, especially in relation to materials with high embodied carbon.

The flooring contractor was Capital Floors.

Photo: Ben McPhee