philly, by design

details details details...

yeah, that last picture isn't mine. nice though, huh? ;)

"philly's only fine art photography gallery," 339's most recent incarnation opened just last year. a former apothecary and ice cream parlor, the space was a cored-out shell when architects came onto the scene. little more than the masonry and a hole in the floor where stairs used to be, according to principal martin mcnamara... nothing like starting with a clean slate, right?

the multidisciplinary architecture team of qb3 (sense a trend here?) originally was asked to design just the central stair, though their skill in this regard prompted a full-time gig with the project. speaking of circulation, this one's a beauty: glass, polished steel, and a rich, dark wood orchestrate movement through the space that's both elegant and sensible. and like the tagline above says, the details! my oh my, simply stunning...

the traditional white cube gallery remains intact here, but departs in the most subtle manner. besides the staircase, 339 also features 180-degree pivoting display "pages" in the front, savvy materiality transitions to designate space, and an understated relationship of in/outside. this sophisticated interplay alongside fine art photography has a way, i believe, of elevating both. not only offering the art a suitable space in which to be viewed, but likewise furnishing the space with work of an appropriate brilliance...

plus they've got some real neat-o photos too! besides national trendsetters, local heroes are featured as well: sara stolfa's curtain call will be held at 339 in september. see below for details.

gallery 339 homepage- hours, exhibits, pictures, and more... ms. stolfa's work can be seen under the artists link.

qb3 site- architecture-graphic-industrial designers extraordinaire. pretty pictures too. enjoy. ;)