Tate Modern: Herzog & De Meuron - Brief Article

Architectural Review, The, June, 2001

The recolonization of Bankside Power Station to house Tate Modern is a singular and visionary project that supplants obsolete heavy industry with contemporary culture.

No one could have anticipated the outstanding public interest generated last year by the opening of the Tate Modern, the stunning award winning new gallery housed inside the former Bankside Power Station, London. The transformed, enormous turbine hall has proved to be as much a visitor attraction as the Tate collection of international modern art from 1900 though to the present day itself. Running the whole length of the building, the hall marks a breathtaking entrance to the gallery. Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron took the original building, designed by eminent Victorian architect George Gilbert Scott, and turned it into one of the most memorable, ambitious art museums in the world.

Thrislington Cubicles have been installed throughout the museum carefully tuned to provide a continuous design realisation reflecting the urban ethic of this memorable building.

The exacting requirements specified by the architects were for modernity with durability, a tough cubicle system but specifically for no foot to be visible.

The Thrislington design team took two of their most respected cubicle systems, the aesthetically contemporary Oasis system, and The Combat, the more down to earth, robust high performance system, and combined them into a unique bespoke yet highly practical cubicle system that met the Tate Modern challenge.

The height of the cubicles was subtly modified, to create the perfectly sought after minimalist architectural sight lines, while all footings were removed from sight, giving the cubicle the desired visual floating effect. The finishing touch came with the specification of a semi metallic mid grey paint finish, covering sheet steel doors.

In all, 76 cubicles manufactured to this unique specification are to be found in Tate Modern, catering for the non stop visitor presence in the busy, popular, highly ambitious building.

The sleek and cavernous Canary Wharf Station by Foster and Partners has been fitted out with Thrislington Cubicles.

An innovative company which is passionate about the quality and engineering accuracy of their products, Thrislington Cubicles have established a reputation for putting quality and design above other considerations. Their willingness and enthusiasm to experiment and meet the particular specifications of a project has made them a reliable and popular choice with some of the most high profile architects in the world. But it is also the design of the Oasis cubicles which has been instrumental in securing Thrislington's popularity with the top names in architecture, such as Foster and Partners.

Thrislington Cubicles were also prepared to do a number of mockup designs in order to achieve exactly what was required at Canary Wharf Station. The doors are clad in smooth stainless steel and the minimalist appearance of the cubicles was a big attraction.

Canary Wharf Station offered an interesting twist to the design of the cubicles. One of the main recommendations that emerged from the King's Cross Station fire meant that everything used in the station had to have low smoke and low toxicity. Thrislington's Cubicles were designed and manufactured to comply with these stringent conditions.