A Powerhouse for Art

T

Architects Herzog & de Meuron / Tate Modern

he preparatory building works on the new Tate Modern development has been started by The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Work will now start on the oil tanks, of the

former power station from which the new building will rise, two of which will be retained as raw spaces for art and performance. The Initial work has also included the installation of 185 piles to a depth of 25 m that will strengthen the existing Turbine Hall foundations. In addition, Tate will shortly start demolition work to clear the area directly south of Tate Modern, making way for the new development. Boris Johnson, Mayor of London said, "The genius of London is being able to spot the potential of an ageing power station and create an enormously successful gallery like Tate Modern. It is a cultural landmark and global icon and I'm delighted to support its much needed expansion. Not only will it add to the excitement around the 2012 Games, it will extend the potential benefits of this great temple of art even further south into the Bankside area." Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate said,

"The new Tate Modern development will be an iconic world-class addition to London's skyline. We look forward to creating one of the most exciting cultural buildings in Europe which will bring direct benefits to Southwark and London as a whole."

The Switch House, to the south of the

Turbine Hall, continues to house an electricity substation that serves a large area of the City

© Hayes Davidson and Herzog & de Meuron

and South London. EDF Energy, who occupy the substation at present, are on track to complete its modernisation works and hand over the Switch House to Tate later this year. The new

development will contribute to the local environment by opening up a new North/South route from the

© Hayes Davidson and Herzog & de Meuron

Millennium Bridge through the building to Southwark. Once the Switch Station is opened up, people will be able to cross the Thames, walk through the existing Tate Modern and Turbine Hall, and out onto the new plaza. From there direct paths continue into the heart of Southwark, helping to connect this whole area to the South Bank and the City beyond, and providing the catalyst for the further regeneration of this whole area. The façade echoes that of the original

power station but uses brick in a radical new way by creating a perforated brick lattice through which the building will glow in the evening. 500,000 bricks will envelop the new

building. The building also sets new benchmarks for museums and galleries in the UK for both sustainability and energy use. By exploiting waste heat emitted from the relocated transformers and employing passive design principles wherever practicable the scheme will use 54 % less energy, and emit 44 % less carbon than building regulations demand. The project is due to be completed in 2012 at an estimated cost of £215 million at 2012 prices. To date Tate has raised £76.5 million, which represents a third of the overall costs.

© Hayes Davidson and Herzog & de Meuron

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