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.