The Tate Modern and the new Switch House by Herzog & de Meuron
Seen from the Sky Garden at the 35th floor of Rafael Viñoly's “Walkie Talkie”
London, September 2016
“A ten-storey tower, 65 metres high from ground level, was built above the oil tanks. The original western half of the Switch House was demolished to make room for the tower and then rebuilt around it with large gallery spaces and access routes between the main building and the new tower on level 1 (ground level) and level 4. The new galleries on level 4 have natural top lighting. A bridge built across the turbine hall on level 4 to provides an upper access route. The new building opened to the public on 17 June 2016. The design, again by Herzog & de Meuron, has been controversial. It was originally designed with a glass stepped pyramid, but this was amended to incorporate a sloping façade in brick latticework (to match the original power-station building) despite planning consent to the original design having been previously granted by the supervising authority. The extension provides 22,492 square metres of additional gross internal area for display and exhibition spaces, performance spaces, education facilities, offices, catering and retail facilities as well as a car parking and a new external public space.” (Tate Modern, Wikipedia)
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