Chipperfield reveals redesigned Turner Contemporary Gallery
- Published: 17 October 2007 10:43
- Author: Richard Waite
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- Last Updated: 17 October 2007 10:43
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Stirling Prize winner David Chipperfield has unveiled his redesigned Turner Contemporary Gallery scheme in Margate
Stirling Prize winner David Chipperfield has unveiled his redesigned Turner Contemporary Gallery scheme in Margate – itself a replacement for Snøhetta and Spence's notoriously over-budget proposals.
The architect revealed his initial competition-winning designs for the plot on Margate seafront back in June ( First look at Chipperfield's Margate gallery ), but he has since re-jigged his original concept to 'take on comments' from project backer Kent County Council and the public.
The most obvious change to the £17.4 million project is the reduction in height from three to two storeys and the addition of pitched 'northern light' roofs, apparently to 'reflect more closely the other architecture' in the seaside resort.
Other amendments include the use of white opaque recycled-glass cladding and the reconfiguration of the six interlocking blocks to ease the flow of visitors around the gallery.
The re-think is the latest twist in the long-running saga surrounding a new building for the gallery, which started back in 2001 when Snøhetta and Spence came up with a pebble-like scheme which would have sat in the English Channel off Margate pier.
Due to spiralling costs, these ambitious proposals were dropped early last year and an open design competition was launched to find a cheaper alternative.
Despite the recent redesign, council cabinet member for regeneration Mike Hill is confident Chipperfield will not repeat the previous mistakes.
He said: 'If Chipperfield can bring in the hugely complex £200 million Berlin museum on budget, with a fixed-price contract, he can bring anything in.'
Asked whether the designs would change again, Hill went on to say: 'I'm not saying there won't be minor adjustments but we are stage D.
'This is not just a gallery, but key to Margate's regeneration and a sufficiently dramatic landmark to become a destination in its own right,' he added.
Meanwhile Victoria Pomery, the director of Turner Contemporary, thinks the new-look design is an improvement on the original scheme: 'Chipperfield has worked with the comments, views and concerns of the key stakeholders at the back of his mind.
'The design was not fixed in June and I was very keen to get light into the spaces, but not fenestration that would have taken up my gallery walls.'
She added: 'There was a lot of debate about the windows. The views are fantastic from the site, but art often needs lots of white walls so it was a bit of a juggling act.'
A full planning application is due to in go next month.
The gallery is expected to open in 2010 – the same year as Chipperfield's Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield.
