In designing The Hepworth Wakefield, David Chipperfield Architects responded imaginatively to the gallery’s waterfront setting.

The building complements the scale and form of the existing industrial buildings and, like them, appears to rise out of the River Calder. The gallery’s location on the river’s edge also allows it to apply new forms of renewable energy by sourcing the majority of its heating and cooling from the river’s flow. The gallery’s façade has been constructed of pigmented concrete which was created in-situ. This gives the building a sculptural appearance, which echoes the shapes and forms in many of Barbara Hepworth’s sculptures.

With over 1,600 square metres of light-filled gallery spaces, The Hepworth Wakefield is the largest purpose-built exhibition space outside London. The gallery brings together work from Wakefield’s art collection, exhibitions by contemporary artists and rarely seen works by Barbara Hepworth.

With a café, shop, learning studios, conference venues and administrative offices downstairs there are also ten galleries of varying sizes to explore.

Awards

• Best Architectural Achievement at The British Design Awards 2011
• The Condé Nast Traveller 5th Annual Innovation & Design Awards for Culture 2011
• Arts & Culture - White Rose Award 2012
• Wallpaper Design Award 2012
• RIBA Award 2012
• Civic Trust Award 2012
• Civic Trust - National Panel Special Award 2012
• UK Art Fund Museum of the Year 2017