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Bankside Power Station |
Once upon a time back in the 1952 the world's most popular art museum was named Bankside Power Station. Where for the next 29 years it would serve power to the people of London. This magnificent structure was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scot (who had others creations around the country), behind the clad break work lies a steel frame. In total dimensions the length will extended 200m, as far the towering chimney splitting the air to a height of 99m, thus is smaller than Saint Paul's Cathedral which is directly opposite on the north bank. The construction was completed in 1963, enough was accomplished in 1952 and this gave the power station its life and produce power from its oil-fired generators. This stopped due to the rise of oil in 1981, therefore classed as uneconomic.
Fast forward to 1995, winning architects Jaques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron of Herzog and Meuron were hand the Bankside power station for renovating to what we now call the Tate Modern.
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Jacques Herzog & Pierre de Meuron.- Herzog & de Meuron |
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The vastness of the turbine hall. |
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The Light show at the Tate Modern |
These two successful architects went on to remove the remainder of the plant but leaving behind the travelling crane that is still in place, also the glass extension on the roof. The main turbine hall has most definitely been left behind this is unmissable as you enter the sloping ramp in to the heart of the museum. To get a feel of how big the extinct turbines were all you have to do is look up from the bottom of the turbine hall, also on your travels when you get to the top floor and are not afraid of heights then look down...also dont forget that the length of the building is a surging 200m long. In saying that when you are walking from the Southbank of the river Thames and you try and take a photo of this modern marvel you will not actually get the complete length of the 99m chimney, you can but then you need to take a portrait shot but you face losing the ends of the buildings...so take a few steps back and try again.
