Summary_
Tate Modern building is an urban fragment of a different era, a building that was originally designed as a oil-fired power station where it generated electricity from 1891 to 1981 and then closed until it re-open in 2000 as the Tate Modern Museum. The building transformed from a derelict building into a cultural hub that refreshed and regenerated the surrounding area both economically and culturally while re-establish its existence as a modern landmark.
Backside Power Station_
The building is based in the Bankside area of the London Borough of Southwark.
The dimensions of the structure in the original building was 200 m long, steel framed, with brick clad and a substantial central chimney standing 99 m. The structure was roughly divided into three main areas each running east-west - the huge main turbine hall in the centre, with the boiler house to the north and the switch house to the south.
The dimensions of the structure in the original building was 200 m long, steel framed, with brick clad and a substantial central chimney standing 99 m. The structure was roughly divided into three main areas each running east-west - the huge main turbine hall in the centre, with the boiler house to the north and the switch house to the south.
Bankside Power Station, 1952
The Initial re-development_
The Tate Modern in 2000, image from Tate.org.uk
The interior of Bankside Power Station, after the redevolpment in 2001 (an emblem of Tate Modern first stage)
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In 1994 the announcement of the new Tate Museum took place and an international competition started, with final winners being Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron. During the redevelopment the main goal was to preserve the original building, so most the internal structure inside and outside remained untouched with only subtle interventions . The most obvious external change was the two-story glass extension on one half of the roof, and also the surrounding landscape, where people can populated it and use it freely. |
The extension Project_
From 2000 the new Tate museum became an instant tourist magnet, and shortly in the later years the overwhelming amount of visitors opened the discussion of an extension of the building.
In 2004 the preparation of such a plans began, focused on the south west of the building with the intention of providing 5,000m2 (60%) of new display space (overground and underground as well as a new roof terrace offering panoramic views of the city), almost doubling the amount of display space.
(http://www.tate.org.uk/about/projects/tate-modern-project/vision)
In 2004 the preparation of such a plans began, focused on the south west of the building with the intention of providing 5,000m2 (60%) of new display space (overground and underground as well as a new roof terrace offering panoramic views of the city), almost doubling the amount of display space.
(http://www.tate.org.uk/about/projects/tate-modern-project/vision)
View from the West (Falcon Point)
© Hayes Davidson and Herzog & de Meuron
© Hayes Davidson and Herzog & de Meuron