The Sainsbury Centre is a modern building, that looks to the future whilst looking after the past. It was also one of the first buildings designed by Norman Foster and opened in 1978.
Q: Why did you choose this building?
A: It’s a modern designed building, that looks to the future whilst looking after the past. It was also one of the first buildings designed by Norman Foster and opened in 1978. Though the design is cutting edge, particularly for the time, it proves that modernity doesn’t age!
Q: What would be the key concerns about rebuilding here?
A: The site is open and easily accessed so there would be no restriction for demolition or remediation works. The provenance of the architect used for the original design would mean that the appointed Architect for any reinstatement works here would need to be of similar stature.
Q: Interesting fact about this building?
A: The Sainsbury family (yes, THE Sainsbury family) donated a collection of 300 pieces of art to the University of East Anglia. Though this collection has grown exponentially over the last 50 years, internal aspects were designed to ensure the best display of specific pieces.
Q: If you could survey and assess any building in the world, which would you choose?
I have been fortunate to see a breadth of commercial properties for BCH and really enjoy the opportunity to appraise museums and galleries. I’m not sure I could pick one in particular as my ideal building to appraise, they’re all unique and the variation between them all keeps me on my toes!
Q: What do you do when you are not working?
I did my degree in Fine Art Valuation ( followed by a Post Grad Diploma in World Art) and enjoy keeping my knowledge fresh by attending auctions and occasionally dabbling in some buying and selling myself.
I also enjoy donning a green blazer and judging for East Anglia in Bloom!
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