The Lightbox

The Lightbox is a new kind of community cultural centre, featuring galleries capable of displaying both international exhibitions and local artists’ work, as well as narrating Woking’s history. The design is a response to a challenging site and brief, plus a desire to maximise the space within the building. The concept behind the building is a jewellery box containing precious cultural treasures. Overlapping anodised aluminium panels, in shades of gold and silver, spiral up and around the building. The cladding pattern, inspired by the lateral line found on fish and Byzantine gold mosaics, is designed to confound the rectilinear form of the building. Another key aim was to create a low energy building to reinforce Woking’s reputation as the UK’s greenest borough.