Tate Britain wants to build new Mediterranean and East Asian inspired green spaces and a “garden class room” for children, the plan to change the rivers of the gallery.
The proposal, which is currently in front of Westminster city council, promises to change the Millbank front of the gallery by replacing the existing open rooms by a large and more biological public garden. It is planned to install a “Mediterranean” garden in the south and a new natural pond.
The north section consists of a green space that “takes information from East Asian forest planting” and, according to the planning application, comprises a water feature, a flexible event room and an extended area for external café seating.
The architects Feichen Fowles, who worked for the gallery, said the designs were a “comprehensive redesign” that focused on the “softening” of the gallery's external appearance.
The proposal also includes the construction of a new “garden class room”, in which children can receive creative and practical learning. The wooden frame pavilion, which was dressed in stone and with a lantern roof that would be placed between the Tate Lodge and the Clore Gallery, would act as a new learning room for schools, community groups and volunteers.
As part of the plans, the listed curved railings are removed along the mill entrance and the existing railing and the proposed gate are brought forward in order to “unite” both sides of the proposed gardens. The layperson at the front would be replaced by a smaller one and the taxi rank moved to the Atterbury Street.
It is also planned to remove existing hedges and other hard surfaces to make new paths, seats, works of art and lighting. Works by artists Nathan Coley, Angus Fairhurst, Tony Cragg, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth will appear in the garden.
The proposal includes planting 60 new trees of different types and sizes and they remain from tire trees that are already on site. While most trees will be small, there will be some larger species such as magnolia and a pagoda tree.
The development is reached in two sections with the classroom of landscape design and the garden in phase 1. The rest of the development that relates to motorway work takes place in phase 2. The work is expected to end in 2026.
The city council of Westminster, historical England and the transport for London are part of a number of positions that support the plans.
Victorian society raised an objection to “unacceptable damage” because of the change in the building. Historical buildings and places also stressed that planting a walnut tree would harm “the setting of the gallery building”.
Despite their objections, they both showed a broad support for the plans. The council officials said that the proposals would bring significant public advantages without adding excessive damage to the location.
They wrote: “The principle of improving the gardens and the support of the cultural role of Tate Britain is strongly supported in land use conditions.”
The Westminster City license committee will make the application on Tuesday, September 30th.
The Tate Britain is the oldest of the four Tate galleries and one of the most important art museums in London with a story from the history of the middle of the 19th century. Originally opened as a National Gallery of Art in 1897, it was founded to accommodate the growing collection of British art, which Sir Henry Tate, a sugar magazine and philanthropic.
Today, according to application, Tate Great Britain welcomes about 1 million visitors a year, including over 200,000 schoolchildren.