News reached us today that planning approval has been granted for David Chipperfield’s design for Turner Contemporary. Work will begin on construction this autumn, ahead of an opening date of 2010.

In support of this, work by Kent Highway Services to transform Fort Hill to a single carriageway will begin in April. The work is intended to improve connectivity between the Old Town and the seafront and will improve pedestrian access to the gallery site, the stone pier and the rest of the Rendezvous site. The area around the entrance to the Rendezvous site will be landscaped and high quality materials will be used for kerbing and footways.

KCC Cabinet Member for Community Services Mike Hill said:

“This is a tremendous step forward and we remain on schedule for the creation of this landmark building for Margate. A vast amount of work has gone into this project and we will soon see it really taking shape using David Chipperfield’s superb designs.”

Planning approval is great news for the town - finally, investors and businesses can start work with a greater confidence in Margate’s future.

If you’re interested, it’s well worth having a look at the planning application by visiting the UKPlanning website, and searching for application reference 07/1600.

After what seems like years of talk about bringing the Margate Harbour Arm back into use, it seems as if work has finally begun.

The harbour arm houses thirteen units, but currently only one is in use - the work now underway will convert the units for a variety of new uses, including a cafe, a resteraunt, four retail spaces, two artists studios, a gallery and two stores for commercial fishermen.

It has already been confirmed that the new gallery space will house Gallery IOTA, who left their cliff top home in Ramsgate last year. IOTA had a fantastic track record in Ramsgate, so I can only see their relocation as a boon for Margate.

The work will also introduce a new artistic lighting scheme to to illuminate the lighthouse, droit house and the upper walkway of the arm. The scheme will comprise of 40 multicolour LED lights, which visitors will be ale to control the colour, pattern and frequency of via text message.

I covered Nobert Attard’s light installation last year and suspect that the new lighting scheme could be along similar lines.

Cllr. Roger Latchford, Cabinet Member for Culture and Economy, said:

This project will provide a major boost for Margate’s regeneration and is the latest sign that the fortunes of the town are improving. The Harbour Arm is something that everyone sees as they arrive in Margate and it’s vital that we use it to its full potential. Creating units that can be used for catering, retail and arts here, while retaining space for the fishermen, will help to do just that.

You might get a better idea of the work by viewing the planning application.

Due to the huge response to last month’s story regarding Ann Carrington’s “Shell Ladies”, I am working on a post focusing on the shortlisted projects that lost out. It should arrive some time next month.

Now the credits have rolled for the final time, the Thanet Extra reports that Roy Jackson, the manager of Dreamland Cinema believes the cinema would make an ideal alternative site for Turner Contemporary.

Mr Jackson is absolutely right in his view that the art deco cinema building deserves a grand future, but I’m not sure I agree that it ”fits the bill as a high profile centre for the Turner Contemporary”.

The Dreamland ‘fin’ is an utterly iconic fixture of Margate seafront, but totally unsuitable as a gallery. In terms of modern gallery aesthetics and vision, the cinema building falls short of what is required - if Margate is to house a successful gallery it should be in a building fit for purpose. It must encourage contemporary art (both internationally and locally) and act as a catalyst for the further regeneration of Margate.

What is certain is that considerable thought must now be directed towards this fantastic old building and it’s future.

The newly renovated Theatre Royal played host to a packed presentation of the finished Turner Contemporary design yesterday evening. In the helm was David Chipperfield, the project architect and recent recipient of the Stirling Prize for Architecture.

We had an exclusive few minutes to speak to David before his presentation, and asked him to explain the progress he and his team made since the last presentation.

I think we’ve developed the project in a very positive way - the figure of the building now has much more character, its got an identity now, which I think was slightly lacking in the preliminary scheme.
To be fair, I think in early schemes we were consumed with the site issue, whereas in the last month we’ve been much more concerned with the working of the building and how we can give it character, and I think that’s gone very well and I think it will be a much more acceptable solution – I think its actually quite a friendly building.

Copyright David Chipperfield Architects Ltd

So what to make of the design? Throughout the entire process Chipperfield has rallied hard against a blind focus towards ‘iconic buildings’ - he is much more concerned with producing beautiful buildings that first of all suit their purpose and surroundings.

What is fundamental to this project is that the gallery must become an important public building – it must be a building that serves the community. So we are looking at what it will do for Margate and how it will regenerate the town (and I am convinced it will) - but first of all it must serve the community – and that’s not an easy thing to get right - we must confront the issues of how to make sure that this building is a popular place that people want to go to.

I could go on and on about the technical specs of the design, but really I should cut to the chase and get to the core of my post - Turner Contemporary is beautiful.

The six interlocking blocks that form the building will be clad in a remarkable opaque milky glass that will give the building an ‘almost magical’ appearance. The glass is totally recycled and about an inch thick, which means it will be durable enough to cope with it’s exposed position as well as giving the building the unique airy appearance.

What should we clad this building in? It was a struggle – there were a lot of considerations – the biggest was the durability of the building in such an exposed place – how does a building weather in our climate and how do we deal with it? We looked at lots of different materials, and finally we felt we should talk about light again and went full circle back to Turner’s paintings – if the building is trying to capture light inside shouldn’t it also be concerned with capturing it outside?
So we looked towards a solution which is a white recycled glass – thick glass, like slabs of marble – panels of white glass – and this starts to show the building on the one hand as real, but slightly magical – the milky whiteness will glow on the best days but also on the grey days.

Chipperfield described the design process as like making a ‘light cocktail’ - how could they make the most of the light that Margate is famous for? In the previous presentation he mentioned that they were considering giving more shape to the roofline of the building - and it is clear that they have. Each interlocking block now has a distinct silhouette:

The idea of light became more and more of our agenda – if we are to refer to Turner our responsibility is to make reference to him who more than any other artist tried to capture the qualities of light. We were interested in making the building bigger in form and stop it from being a simple box – and it is coincidence in a way if we can make the most of the views from the north and take this ‘friendly’ light (light is not friendly to museums) – this configuration allows us to bring light in but it also starts to give the building a character, a figure, a silhouette.

Copyright David Chipperfield Architects Ltd

Over the next few days I hope to give some more thought towards the design and post some of the finer details that we heard about on the evening - and as with the last presentation I will endeavour to make audio recordings of the presentation available.

I’m hugely impressed with the appearance of the building, and equally as impressed that David Chipperfield continues to take the time to take part in these consultations. Roger Gale didn’t go far wrong in describing them as a “master class in architecture”.

I could do no better than to end with Chipperfield’s closing sentences which serve as a fitting tribute to the project so far :

Building something like this is a test of the people – this isn’t something easy, otherwise the country would be full of interesting buildings – things conspire against projects like these – a building doesn’t just just land and show up one day – the delivery of the building is part of the thing itself. It needs inspiration, it needs a community that wants the building – you need to go against the grain, it needs the community to help and to want it.

The winner of the 2007 Stirling Prize for Architecture will be announced tonight, with David Chipperfield, the architect in charge of designs for Turner Contemporary, a strong favourite to win.

Indeed, Chipperfield is the only candidate with two buildings on the shortlist - the Museum of Modern Literature in Marbach am Neckar in Germany and the America’s Cup building in Valencia, Spain.

He says the English have a problem with modern buildings. “We either go for the bombastic or pastiche”.

Read more about the award on the BBC article Buildings at Risk (Of Being Different) and watch the award ceremony live on Channel 4, tonight at 8pm.

UPDATE: It’s fantastic to be able to tell you that David Chipperfield won the Stirling Prize for his Museum of Modern Literature in Marbach am Neckar in Germany.

Some good news for redevelopment followers - this press release just in from Thanet District Council:

Plans have been submitted by Thanet District Council for a derelict and underused area in Margate Old Town.

The application, for Queens Arms Yard, proposes a mixed use development of three and four storey buildings, which will house a café, bar or restaurant, along with 10 retail units or art studios and a total of 24 apartments.

The plans are part of the ongoing regeneration of Margate Old Town by the Council and the Margate Renewal Partnership to create a Cultural Quarter to complement Turner Contemporary. Artists have been involved in helping to draw up the plans of the retail units and art studios to ensure that they meet their needs.

Cllr. Roger Latchford, Cabinet Member for Economy and Culture, said: “The Council and Margate Renewal Partnership are working hard to regenerate Margate and a crucial part of that work is the creation of a Cultural Quarter in the Old Town. There’s no doubt that the work is starting to pay dividends there, with new businesses opening all the time and increasing occupancy levels. Obviously these plans will need to be considered carefully by our Planning Officers to ensure that the best scheme is achieved for everyone. The development of this site will help to bring an area, that’s been a target for fly tippers for some time, back into use, attracting both new businesses and residents into our beautiful Old Town.”

Copies of the application can be viewed at Margate library, Thanet District Council’s offices in Margate or online at www.ukplanning.com and members of the public can give their views on the planning application until Friday 31 August.

Just a quick post from me today, to let you know about an article in today’s Daily Telegraph in which Dominic Bradbury talks to David Chipperfield about Turner Contemporary. It’s a worthwhile read.

British architect David Chipperfield is renowned for daring buildings set between land and sea - and his next is set to revitalise Margate. He talks to Dominic Bradbury

Margate is a place that could do with a bit of help. Its harbour front and stone pier feel neglected and disconnected from the rest of the town, while the rest of the seafront is dominated by amusement arcades and unloved blocks of flats with optimistic names such as The Arcadian.

Read more at the Telegraph website.

I’m proud to announce we are the first online/print source to display a full selection of hi-resolution images of the new Turner Contemporary building - a big thank you to the staff over at TC for these.

Bloggers and commentators were quick off the mark to analyse the designs based only on the small image released yesterday, so I hope seeing these designs on a larger scale will help give a truer representation of the building. (To repeat what David Chipperfield said yesterday - this is not the completed design, but in order to present these ideas to the public they are forced to give them an air of finality.)

(For full information and audio recordings of last night’s David Chipperfield presentation, scroll down to see our earlier post)

View of Turner Contemporary from the sea front.

View of model from sea.

Sketch of balcony and terraces by David Chipperfield.

View from the first floor terrace.

All images Copyright David Chipperfield Architects Ltd.

It’s arrived, but not quite at the state some of us expected. Even though we will have to wait several more months to see the completed design, David Chipperfield’s presentation seemed to hit the mark for most of the audience who crammed into the Winter Gardens to see the latest plans for Turner Contemporary.

Mike Hill opened the presentation with a brief introduction to the project. He spoke passionately about his role in the project, and despite the usual comparisons with St Ives and Bilbao, he came across as someone with a genuine determination to succeed.

Following Mike Hill’s introduction, it was time for Victoria Pomery, director of Turner Contemporary to reiterate the Turner vision. She estimated that 130,000 visitors would visit in an average year, bringing at least £2 million for local businesses each year - the gallery itself would have a permenant staff of 35.

“The building has been driven by the need to design a gallery for presenting historical and contemporary art of the highest calibre that also offers a fantastic visitor experience. What we’re creating is a destination, and a programme, that visitors will want to return to again and again.”

Most crucially she outlined the work it will hold - a range of temporary modern and classic exhibitions, and guaranteed that there would be works by Turner present all year round (sourced from the Tate and private collections). Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of summer 2008, with the gallery open to the public in 2010.

Eventually, David Chipperfield, the guest speaker for the evening, took to the stage. Below is a full recording of his talk, but here’s some of the most important points.

• The design is still in the process of development - there is still work to do.
• “The rendezvous site is blessed. We couldn’t have a more beautiful view of the sea”
• One his major challenges is to connect the site with the town. The fort hill carriage way may be altered to make the gallery more accessible from the old town.
• They have quite a limited area to build in - they have to make room for the lifeboat slipway.
• Yet with every problem comes a hidden benefit - they have to set the building 2 meters above the ground level to avoid flooding, so they are planning a large ramp which will act as as access to gallery as well as acting as a large public square/terrace with outdoor artwork.
• He wants to build a “cultural community centre” - his has no problem attracting people already into art, his main aim is to draw those who aren’t.
• On the previous design: “You can make an idea of what you want to build - but without rubbing salt in the wound - to some degree that was the strategy of the first project - there was a bold beautiful idea that then tried to be realised - but the technical issues were not black and white” - Chipperfield has worked the other way round - he has accepted the complicated conditions of the site and worked from that basis.
• There are conflicts between designing a building and a gallery - gallery curators don’t like windows, but architects and visitors do. He has to find the middle ground between these points.
• There will be a large cantilever balcony/terrace on the north (sea) side.
• There will be three floors. The ground floor will be a multifunction space (including a lecture space, cafe and shop), the first floor will be an educational/didactic floor and the second floor will be an environmentally controlled “sanctuary” where works by Turner and other major exhibitions will be displayed.

David Chipperfield is the architect of the moment - he has designed some of the best recent examples of contemporary architecture and is involved in the creation of countless more. He was down to earth, rational, witty and pragmatic - he has an architectural reputation for perfection - his bold design for Turner Contemporary showed clarity and confidence.

“We are very excited with the designs. The challenge has been to create a building that responds to the opportunities of the site. We are confident that this design makes the most of site’s potential and remains sensitive to its unique setting.”

With barely time to catch his breath, the audience was permitted to put their questions to David and the other speakers (as well as other officials including Roger Gale and Sandy Ezekiel). Some of the more interesting points raised during the Q&A session included:

• The issue of transport between Margate station and Turner Contemporary. Sandy Ezekiel confirmed that investigations are being made into a shuttle service and a walkway between the two sites.
• Mike Hill stated that a landscape architect is involved in devising a plan for the rest of the rendezvous site - we can expect a total transformation of the whole area.
• Work is already under way to connect the Rendezvous site with the old town - at the moment it will be done with schemes of lighting, paving and banners - closer to the time this should become more substantial (including alterations to the fort hill carriage way).

The best exchange of all was from Wendy Allen - one of a trio of curmudgeons from the Independent Action Party who had been generally discourteous throughout the entire presentation. She offered a wonderfully turgid record of her local campaigning, from which she concluded that 99% of Thanet residents were opposed to the gallery, to which she received a strong rebuke from Sandy Ezekiel and Mike Hill (who in turn received the biggest applause of the evening). You will understand I don’t mind criticism towards the plan, but this was particularly cringe worthy - here it is in it’s glorious entirety.

Until the embargo on images is lifted, I am unable to post the latest plans, but they will be posted as soon as they become available.

Look back over the history of the Turner Contemporary, and see the events that stand out:

• The unveiling of the Snøhetta + Spence “blob” (31.10.01)
• Installation and subsequent washing-away of the test sculpture (24.01.05)
• U-turn over Snøhetta + Spence design - “back to the drawing board” (08.02.06)
• David Chipperfield chosen to design new gallery with £15 million budget (27.07.06)

After nearly a year of waiting, we will soon be able to add the “unveiling of the new Turner Contemporary design” to the time line.

David Chipperfield will present the designs for the new Turner Contemporary tonight (18th June). Turneround Margate will be present at the presentation, and we plan to bring you a comprehensive digest of all essential information, opinions and plans very soon after.

The presentation begins at 6pm till 8pm at the Margate Winter Gardens. Entrance is free but space is limited. It will be followed by an exhibition of the designs at Droit House, open Friday to Sunday, 10.00 - 17.00 from 22 June until 2 September.

Don’t forget to read our guide to some of David Chipperfield’s previous designs and what we could expect for Margate.

Earlier this year, in a bold attempt to forget Snøhetta + Spence’s waveform vision for Margate, KCC made the decision to entrust David Chipperfield Architects with the design for the Turner Contemporary.

Upon their appointment, the firm, known for their understated brand of modernism, announced they could have the gallery open by 2010 on a budget of £17.4m. With this in mind, we decided to comment on some of their previous projects and make a suggestion or two as to what we might expect for Margate.

America’s Cup Building
Valencia, 2006

One of Chipperfield’s most recent buildings, the America’s Cup Building was designed, built and opened in staggeringly short 11 months. The building’s setting is much alike the Turner Contemporary’s - so we can see what might crossover to Margate.

The America’s Cup Building is constructed from steel, concrete and glass; the seafront location of the Turner Contemporary means it will likely use similarly robust materials. Also notice that the main building is raised up from it’s exposed position on the water’s edge. I rather expect we will end up with something more solid and less open air since the respective uses and climates are so different in these cases.

Estepona Theatre
Estepona, Spain, 2009

Chipperfield’s sweeping design for the Estepona Theatre wouldn’t look out of place along side the modernist houses at Palm Bay.
Chipperfield despises insular buildings that have no “dialogue with anything around them, or with history” - so there is the strong possibility of a restrained building that spreads out and makes use of other elements of the site.

It is a happy accident that KCC, determined to commission an iconic building for Margate, have appointed an architect who sensibly opposes building architectural “icons” for the sake of it.

“I’m not purposely avoiding making an icon. An icon just happens… Clients now say that they are looking for an icon, and I know that means it has got to look blobby… Design objects of the 20th century became icons because of how beautiful they were or how successful they were. Now we have to have an instant icon. It has to say it’s an icon at the very point of delivery.”

Chipperfield’s buildings are the antithesis of the waveform architecture trend - they create buildings of restraint, purpose and elegance.

In a twist of fate Margate has found a man level-headed enough to understand the importance of doing it right.

“I think that the point of being an architect is to help raise the experience of everyday living, even a little… None of this means designing funny shapes or getting politicians to go ‘wow’ or making the media think you’re the new thing. It takes a lot of patience, a lot of experience, and a lot of unfashionable thought”.

Through David Chipperfield, Margate will get a beautiful, impressive (and dare we say it, iconic) building to be proud of.

Read more of our sources at:
The Guardian : “In Britain, money and marketing are what matters most”
Icon: David Chipperfield
David Chipperfield Architects
City Of Sound: Chipperfield on Building for Regeneration