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Static's building and its activities are mutually dependent, the building reflecting the growing vision of Static's activities, and the activities influenced by the building in flux. This responsive approach was possible because the building was developed, in-situ by Static Research Unit. The gentle speed of the development was part choice and also due to rather lengthy funding and building negotiations

The relationship between the exterior and interior of Static is controlled by the ubiquitous red doors. Passers-by often stop at the gallery door, unsure whether they can or want to cross the threshold. Regular gallery-visitors cross without thought. Static sees this threshold as part of its on-going investigations, both literally with eventual exterior cut-throughs into the interior space , and also psychologically, sampling ways to entice visitors or turn them away.

An earlier example of this can be found within the 'Invasion' project where activities deliberately reduced the audience. (see 'projects').

Many other projects involve a consideration of the nature of a threshold, such as 'Wish you were here' 87.9fm and its broadcast within the homes of city residents, if they chose to allow it. The Static Pamphlet and Static Publiactions are also a key activity, providing Static with space for critical activity beyond the building. The theme of the 2006 Pamphlet is 'Private Life', following from 'Us and Them 2003/2004', a series of essays looking at the meniscus between individuals, the thresholds between communities and the current political climate.

When open the gallery is, of course, public, but Static has also developed a place with uncertain private or public identity, the 'Complex'. Within this place a coffee bar gives a reason to stay and browse through a host of provided texts on the 'Bookwall'. Groups are invited to house discussions and meetings here, providing the possibility for unusual encounters. However, the social space within Static, including the 'Bookwall' and coffee bar, also houses four studios/production areas with glass fronts. Static invites four producers to inhabit its space for a limited, previously defined period. This will include publishers, designers, artists, writers etc. The production areas offer unique spatial conditions that the inhabitant must learn to live with or improvise. The glass front limits privacy, preventing a boundary between the production of work and its presentation. Each production space has a mezzanine level, allowing the inhabitant to have an aerial viewing point of the activities below. The studio residents can also make use of the social space as a temporary presentation or experimental space, if they choose. In return, at certain times Static will give groups the opportunity to use the production unit mezzanine levels.

One of the production units has been reserved for a programme of residencies for a new graduate, in partnership with Liverpool Art School (2003/2004). In the future another space will be reserved for international visitors and an architecture graduate. In addition to studio occupancy, Static is keen to provide short-term office bases for organisations it considers interesting.

A long corridor, a snug, a staircase and a glazed wc, bridge the change in level down to the gallery. The gallery is 3,000 sq ft, with concrete floor and prominent beams. As described in the introduction, the gallery is just one of Static's active spaces, so its usage is not governed according to a monthly programme but according to need. The gallery is not intended as a prestige venue to add to Liverpool's already healthy amount of gallery space, rather Static intends its use to be strategic, with a focus on new graduates, a space for experimentation, building unusual audiences and all kinds of discursive activities.

If the Static Complex has sparked some ideas or thoughts you can contact us or air them publicly through the Static Pamphlet. Or if you are interested in hiring a production space, any of the residency programmes, need a space for a meeting or want to contribute to the development of the Bookwall please contact us.