The Tate Modern Project

Born out of the former Bankside power station, Tate Modern welcomes five million visitors each year, more than twice the number it was designed to accommodate. The Tate Modern Project was conceived to redefine the gallery for the 21st century with the addition of an 11-storey truncated pyramid structure that fully integrates the building's display, learning and social functions. Appointed soon after planning permission was granted on a design that was subsequently abandoned, Mace integrated with the client and design teams, and was instrumental in producing the successful planning application for an entirely revised design.

In order to mitigate the impact of the lengthy delay, Mace negotiated a project management role, enabling the provision of detailed construction and buildability advice against the revised programme. The new structure incorporates three derelict underground oil tanks and half of a live switch station which has been specifically decommissioned to facilitate the new project. These structures were partially demolished and rebuilt as part of the scheme. The client's desire to drive sustainability throughout the new building resulted in the implementation of a ground water cooling system that utilises the nearby Thames to reduce energy costs by up to 50 percent. Mace drew on its experience of delivering complex buildings alongside existing in-use structures and gave the client confidence to make the difficult decisions necessary to move forward.