Tate Britain - The Clore Garden
Tate Britain - The Clore Garden
We provided heritage and engineering advice for the creation of a new garden at Tate Britain, London which is due to open in 2026.
The space between Millbank and the Tate itself is a critically important part of the setting of the primary frontage of the Grade II* listed building, forming the foreground to a key view of the Tate and part of the primary entrance sequence to the gallery and to the Clore Wing.
We first provided heritage advice on the development of proposals to address the shortcomings of the existing garden by introducing a garden that would represent the accessible and welcoming ethos of the gallery; enhance the setting of the Tate, its listed railings and other heritage assets; and improve biodiversity and climate resilience.
The proposed garden reunites the two existing gardens as a single, welcoming space and has been designed a sinuous, space, expressly choosing organic forms to contrast with the rectilinear forms of the principal building. Designed by the acclaimed landscape designers Tom Stuart-Smith Studio, in collaboration with architects Feilden Fowles, the project, realised in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society, has benefited from a donation from the Clore Duffield Foundation, which has a long relationship with Tate Britain, dating to the opening of the Clore Gallery in 1987. The design, for which we continue to advise on as engineers, features an organic pattern of luxuriantly planted spaces and a network of fully accessible pathways to explore. A reimagined café terrace and a freestanding classroom are included, as well as space for outdoor programmes, talks and activities.
Having established the significance of the listed building; railings and the associated setting of both, we supported the proposals by establishing that they would: encourage new and diverse audiences to the Tate Britain site; enable full access throughout the garden for all visitors regardless of mobility; provide facilities for all types of visitors including large school groups; improve biodiversity and run-off within the gardens; improve the setting of the Grade II* listed Tate Britain; and improve the sense of welcome and quality of the spaces of the gardens.
A highlight of the project will be the introduction of a new single storey, light-weight garden classroom. This will offer a flexible sheltered space for learning activities opening out directly onto the garden, where regular workshops for school groups and adult learners will explore the connections between art and nature, fostering creativity and collaboration.
Client: Tate Britain
Architect: Tom Stuart-Smith Studio and Feilden Fowles