The Tate Modern Master Plan

Transforming Tate Modern: Landscape Master Plan


Bankside Urban Park

The master plan for the Tate Modern site has been prepared by the Herzog & de Meuron led design team to establish the full potential of the site to contribute to cultural development, the community and public spaces on Bankside. The master plan covers the whole site and proposes a series of new public spaces and routes on all sides of the former power station, within which two new buildings will be set.

The first building, which will be located on the site of the disused underground oil tanks, is for Tate's expanded galleries and will be the subject of a planning application later this year. The potential for a second new building is identified in front of the east end of the Switch House. This would permit another cultural organisation to move to Bankside. A further planning application would be made for this in the future.

The master plan comprises these key elements:

• A new 23,400m2 building for Tate Modern - this will be the subject of a planning application later this summer.
  
  
• Potential for a further 7,000m2 of space for another cultural organisation, to complement Tate Modern and to strengthen the Cultural Quarter. There would be another planning application at a later date for this building.
  
  
• New pedestrian routes - in this part of Bankside pedestrian routes are limited and not well defined. The new development will create a new north-south route or 'street' through the building, linking the City to Elephant and Castle. This will be open for at least 12 hours a day.
  
  
• Improved public spaces - a series of high quality new public spaces will be created all around Tate Modern to increase the opportunities for visitors to sit and relax, meet with friends and enjoy the Bankside environment.
  
  
• A new landscape strategy is being developed to unify and integrate the new public realm surrounding Tate Modern and distinguish the different types of spaces and their functions. Over 1350 new trees will be planted and new seating provided.
  

The new development of Tate Modern will be much more than just a building; it will be a dynamic new part of London - a new creative campus stretching southwards.

A new landscaped park surrounding the building, the Bankside Urban Park, is a major project initiated by Tate and Southwark Council and being led by the Business Improvement District, Better Bankside. This will connect new landscaped areas around the gallery to open spaces across Southwark extending towards the Elephant and Castle.

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