Work has got underway on Tate Modern’s £215m re-development this month.The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, launched the start of preparatory building works in the oil tanks of the former power station at Bankside on 06 January. The extension will add a further 5,000m² of gallery space to the iconic London venue, doubling the size of the existing building and boosting its available event space.
“The new Tate Modern development will be an iconic, world-class addition to London’s skyline,” said Tate Director Nicholas Serota. “We are delighted that the Mayor of London has taken with us the first steps towards its realisation. We look forward to creating one of the most exciting cultural buildings in Europe, which will bring direct benefits to Southwark and London as a whole.”
The £215m project is expected to be completed in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Five million people a year currently visit Tate Modern. The venue’s restaurant, East Room and Members Room are all popular spaces with corporate event organisers.
