Bath Fine Art Gallery

Design ACB was appointed in 2009 to prepare proposals for a new fine art gallery within the ground floor and basement of a Grade II Listed Georgian building in central Bath.

The gallery necessitated a sophisticated security installation so as to protect the valuable works on display. Seventeen CCTV cameras were required, positioned both internally and externally, as well as bespoke internal security grilles to protect the almost fully glazed facades. Those requirements, along with the gallery’s proximity to the adjacent Grade I listed assembly rooms led to a challenging planning and negotiation process.

Internally, the proposals had to be sympathetic to the historic fabric of the building while completely refurbishing and modernising the ground floor, basement and the original Georgian vaults. The gallery is intended to operate on an appointment only basis with clients often staying for a few hours. As such, hospitality and washroom facilities have been carefully inserted into the basement vaults.