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Place, purpose and poetics: behind the scenes with architect Rand Elliott, continued

Oklahoma Contemporary's new home at NW 11th and Broadway in downtown Oklahoma City. (Photo: Scott McDonald, Gray City Studios)

You've watched our new building sprout from an empty lot on the corner of NW 11th and Broadway in downtown Oklahoma City — now take a look inside. We recently debuted the first installment of our new video series with architect Rand Elliott, designed to introduce you to the new space with stories and insights to enrich the experience when you're finally able to safely visit for yourself.

Last week, we learned about the history surrounding the building site, along with a look at the creative process through Elliott's own sketchbooks. This time around, the architect breaks down three important points of focus: place, purpose and poetics.

"Place is about being rooted in Oklahoma City," Elliott said. "The purpose is the function: It's an educational art center, and that needs to be incorporated in the plan itself. The poetics are the inspired elements that we use in architecture to tie all the ingredients together."

Check out the video below to learn how these themes interact in your new arts center, and be sure to tune back in next week when Elliott will give you the grand tour of the building's interior — from gallery spaces to studios, classrooms and points in between.

Architect Rand Elliott and Curatorial Fellow Pablo Barrera explore the Learning Gallery, which features an installation on the building itself. (Photo:Todd Scott)

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Oklahoma Contemporary Rand Elliott architecture video

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