Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art

  • Design: 2003
  • Realisation: 2007
  • Client: Middlesbrough Council
  • Gross Floor Area: 4,000m2
Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art

The Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) in the UK is part of an urban regeneration scheme intended to revitalize the heart of the city. Erick van Egeraat’s design won an international competition in 2002 as well as the 2007 Award of the Royal Institute of British Architects. The use of materials and scale respects and relates to the existing surroundings. White limestone and glass make the gallery a light, transparent and accessible building. The new public square which is an integral part of the project was designed in co-operation with West 8 landscape architects. The interplay of grass combined with a subtle pattern of oxidised metal panels creates connections across the square and gives the once neglected area a friendly and inviting appearance. The foyer is the defining space within the gallery. Its height of more than 16 meters reveals a central staircase which is framed by a suspended stone curtain. At the same time, the foyer forms a transition between gallery and public square. Interaction between the two is stimulated by the enormous transparent facade, inviting visitors and inhabitants to embrace the gallery as the heart of the new cultural quarter of Middlesbrough.

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