Starlight Tattoo Gallery Design by Nicole Tanel

Community Mario Barth, winner of over 200 international awards, is the founder of Starlight Tattooing and presents the finest perfection in tattoos and skin art. He wanted to open a gallery for the tattooing community and to make others aware of the creative art of tattooing.

Community (con’t) Tattooing is a powerful and respected art form, and the artists who create them are respected, as well. Tattoo artists meet with people interested in getting tattoos and help create sketches and ideas. Once the design has been selected, the artist injects ink under the skin, creating an image, using the “skin as a canvas”.

Intentions: PHYSICAL: To house shelter and protect their art work, To give expression to each “gallery” on the exterior, and To show the impact of Tattooing on the community outside of their own. SOCIAL To bring the community together in celebration of the arts To show an appreciation for creativity, and Show how body art is a beautiful art form

Intentions (con’t): SYMBOLIC “ The intention of this building is to give visual expression of how a usual barbaric and permanent ritual can be beautiful and expressive, as well as pushed out of taboo into an accepted art form “

Formal Organization Forms of Organization Radial is one of the major forms used in this design. Since tattoos and designs can go in any direction, idea, size, and form. It is an open concept with multiple outcomes. Grid is the other large form used. The whole idea and concept of permanent ink in the skin can be looked at as barbaric and idiotic to main society. The grid represents this close minded view that can be broken down.

Design Principle(s) SYMMETRY: Polar: symmetrical about a point in a radial pattern. The building displays this, starting form the middle, the courtyard, and moving outward along the sharp points.

Method Subtractive Forms One main visual property of design used in this building would be subtractive. You can see it in the way the windows have been created as punch outs of simple shapes yet they make a large impact.

Method (con’t) Combinative Forms This form that is used is created by the sharp yet curved segments that join together to create one mass shape with depth and stability.

Approach and Entry The approach to the building is slightly intimidating and overpowering. This is due to the large steel “I” beams that tower strongly overhead representing the firm “hold” that main society has on what is acceptable. You then come to see the large ink blot sculpture which allows anyone and everyone to add their own designs to help open up to the thought of free design. You are then faced with a large building that breaks away from the norm and the grid of society.

Circulation

Interior Space

Enclosing Space The outdoor sculpture viewing area is located in the center of the entire building. 4 glass doors lead out to a open area with only a circular depressed plane in the middle. This is where live human sculptures will show off their works and stories through their tattoos. The simplicity of this space is so all focus can be on the moving art.