Herzog & de Meuron's revised Tate Modern extension revealed

17 July, 2008

As BD revealed in this week's paper, the museum - which has so far raised just £70 million(한화:약 1,500억원) - will have to seek
new planning permission after original plans for a glass facade were substantially revised.

Also key to the updated plans is the retention of the former power station's oil tanks which will become “raw spaces” for art exhibitions and performances.

A perforated engineering brick facade will now allow the concrete-frame building to glow at night, with terraces overlooking the City, according to the designs revealed by Jacques Herzog and Tate director Nicholas Serota.

The scheme, which will add 21,500sq m to the existing 35,000m space, has been reduced from 70m to 65m high across 11 levels with protruding “boxes” removed and a rooftop balcony added, echoing the top of Tate Modern's chimney.

Elsewhere the facade is punctured with horizontal “floor-high” window slots, with other large rectangular holes further exposing the concrete.

Herzog & de Meuron is said to have favoured a concrete facade but a planning consultant hired by the Tate advised that the British public would find this “too ugly”.

Speaking to BD earlier this week, chair of Southwark's planning committee James Gurling said: “They couldn't engineer the glazed panels to make it work with the building's design. A full planning application is now expected as the facade has changed considerably, but we expect it to still begin on site in early 2009.”

However, its green credentials have improved, with waste heat from a nearby substation providing most of the building's requirements

article from bd