The first-stage designs for the new Clore Garden at Tate Britain by landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith Studio and architects Feilden Fowles have been revealed.
The new garden will transform the landscape in front of Tate Britain and offer a new green space for visitors and local residents to enjoy.
A reimagined café terrace and a new, single-storey, lightweight garden classroom are included, as well as space for outdoor programmes, talks and activities. Art and horticulture will be brought together, with sculptures by British artists from Tate’s collection integrated throughout the landscape. A generous amount of seating is also incorporated into the design.
The design is intended to complement and enhance the gallery’s neoclassical architecture and withstand climate change. Recycled and sustainable materials will be present throughout, too, with pathways made from reclaimed site materials.
Alex Farquharson, director, Tate Britain said: ‘We are enormously excited to share a first look at designs for Tate Britain’s new garden, a significant green space uniting art and nature and encouraging biodiversity. These sumptuous, innovative designs demonstrate the role museums can play in our cities, places where contemplation and relaxation can go hand in hand with joy and creativity. We hope the garden will offer new ways to engage with Tate’s Collection, for both visitors and local residents alike.’
Tom Stuart-Smith said: ‘It’s a wonderful opportunity to create a haven for people, plants and sculpture right in the heart of London and to transform the setting of the gallery into a beautiful garden that is really engaging, biodiverse and sustainable.’
The design was realised in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society and made possible by funding from the Clore Duffield Foundation, which supports UK charities working in the arts, education, social welfare and health.
