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Today, Tate Director, Nicholas Serota and architects Herzog & de Meuron revealed the latest plans for the new development at Tate Modern.

Instead of the glass façade originally envisaged, the building will be enveloped in a textured brick lattice. The design links the extension much more closely to the brick structure of the existing power station building. In the same spirit it makes a feature of the underground oil tank spaces, keeping them as dramatic raw spaces for art (previously they were going to house an auditorium). This dialogue between the found and the new is at the heart of the architectural vision for the building.

TM2: The design of the new building has evolved to look like this

Creating a green building is also high on the agenda, and these revised plans deliver on that front. It will use energy efficiently through passive design principles such as natural ventilation, seasonal day lighting, solar shading etc. But the team is also looking at installing geothermal heat pump systems and thinking about how to use the waste heat generated by the electrical substation that’s still on the Tate site (you can hear the hum of the transformers when you stand in the Turbine hall). The recovered heat could be used for warming the building in winter, or heating hot water in kitchens and washrooms in summer.

Visitors will get a stunning view of London from the upper floors

The building will include more varied spaces for Tate’s growing Collection and better facilities for the gallery’s education programmes. It will rise 70 metres above ground in 11 storeys, and will add an additional 21,500 sq metres to Tate Modern’s existing 35,000 sq metres. Outside there’ll be two new public spaces – a piazza to the south and new gardens to the west designed for families and children.

This model shows the lattice effect of the brick work

We’re aiming to get it all built by 2012, and it should cost about £215 million at 2012 prices (we’ve raised £67 million so far).  In the meantime, now that the exterior finish has been decided the project team will be turning their attention to the interior spaces, which is where the ModBlog comes into its own. Please keep sending us your comments and pictures to help the process along.

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Read the original post on The Great Tate Mod Blog