FACT centre

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The FACT (Foundation for Art & Creative Technology) centre is a multimedia complex based in Liverpool, England. Designed by architect Austin-Smith:Lord, it is situated in Wood Street - in the Ropewalks area of the city centre - it offers three gallery spaces, four cinema screens and a multimedia suite. According to the centre's website, it is 'the UK's leading organisation for the development, support and exhibition of film, video and new and emerging media'.

It was opened in February 2003 by its founding executive director Eddie Berg, having cost £10 million to build.

FACT, the Centre for Film, Art and Creative Technology is Liverpool’s first purpose-built arts centre for more than 60 years located in the rapidly developing Rope Walks area in the heart of Liverpool city centre. The building is linked to Bold Street, one of Liverpool’s main shopping areas, by a new public square off Wood Street and Coquitt Street, the building is an arts project for the digital age.

FACT addresses and celebrates an emerging definition of visual culture and embraces digital imaging, moving and still picture, film and interactive creative technologies. The programme of activities and events will encourage exploration of this culture while the transparency of the building will aid this, encouraging audiences to crossover and try new experiences.

For audiences, FACT provides a point of entry into the arts of film, video and new media. For artists, it is a support system without parallel in the UK. For Liverpool, it forms a key aspect of its cultural and economic renaissance.

The brief to the architects was to create a bold landmark building on a site previously occupied by a 1960s garage. In response Austin-Smith:Lord has created a building very different in character to the surrounding red-brick warehouses. The zinc tile clad façade defines the building; interspersed with seven programmable LED-illuminated columns, running the building’s full six-storey height, it is a huge wide screen bent around two elevations.

Beyond the façade are galleries dedicated to moving image and new media artwork, space for online and streaming media broadcasts, the Medialab for the development and production of artists’ projects, and ‘The Box’ a hybrid gallery/projection space a café and a bar. In addition is Picturehouse Liverpool, run by leading independent operator City Screen, with three state-of-the-art cinemas showing the latest arthouse releases alongside more mainstream films.

Once inside, the foyer is a dramatic 4-storey void providing a dramatic route through the building linking the new public spaces. Exposed concrete is used on the ceilings and outer walls of the exhibition spaces, with black concrete floors in the foyer, lounge and bar areas - the natural colours providing a suitable backdrop for the artwork.

The sweep of the box office desk and the walls of the exhibition spaces are designed to draw visitors to the heart of the building and up the concrete cantilevered stairs to the upper floors, where the bar and Picturehouse cinema screens are housed. The cafe area is situated adjacent to the rear entrance, where full-height glazing opens onto another, yet to be completed, public square.

Within FACT, Picturehouse Liverpool’s three high quality screens seat 264, 152 and 104 people, all screens are to THX standard. Supported by one metre deep concrete beams, the huge sculptural under-bellies of these screens are visible from both the ground and upper floors. Access to the screens is at second floor level from the lounge and bar area, accessible by another staircase and framed by the building’s large square window. A further exhibition space is also available next to the bar.