Initial brief

Tate St Ives Phase 2 is a project with two separate but integrally linked parts. Firstly, it will provide an extension to the gallery on a site adjacent to the existing building. This will include new gallery spaces, a loading bay and art handling facilities, circulation, WCs and flexible office accommodation.

Secondly it will include a refurbishment of certain parts of the existing building to create new spaces for learning activities and events.

Tate will be procuring the works to the existing building through various small projects including through FM arrangements. We are in discussion with Evans & Shalev Architects, the architects of the existing building, regarding the design of the interventions in the existing building in order that they are consistent with the original architecture.

Key design criteria

1. Value
Part of the creative design solution Tate seeks is the delivery of a cost effective solution. The project has a fixed construction budget, however Tate’s ambition is to maximise the possible area of new building - particularly the amount of new gallery space - within the constraints of site and budget.

2. Relationship with the existing building
The existing building of Tate St Ives was designed by Eldred Evans and David Shalev. The architecture has enjoyed both critical and popular acclaim, and the gallery has become an iconic building in Cornwall with a large number of our visitors citing the building as a key part of their enjoyment in any visit.

Whilst representing the best of contemporary architecture the new extension should not compete with the existing building. It should not be a ‘landmark building’ in its own right. It must enhance the gallery’s functionality, complement its architecture and create a single entity which will allow Tate St Ives to develop and grow.

3. The constraints of the site and location
Tate St Ives is situated in a beautiful but rather inaccessible part of Britain. The access to and through St Ives is restricted. The site itself is constrained and the construction process will be complex. The ground conditions are believed to contain Blue Elvin, the area available for site set up will be limited.

4. Community
The design should be conscious of the impact of the building, in its size and scale, on the wider town and its infrastructure. The design needs to be sympathetic to the special character of St Ives and the extended gallery needs to fit within the town without dominating it.

5. Sustainability
The design needs to enable the efficient and flexible use of resources in all areas of function, space and energy use. The design must adhere to the principles of sustainability and permit the building to be operated in an economic manner to minimise both running costs and ongoing maintenance costs.

The building also needs to be able to adapt to the changing needs of the gallery and possible changes to the wider economic and environmental conditions.

The services design strategy will, as far as is possible, integrate, utilise and augment the existing building systems.

6. Audience engagement
Tate St Ives operates as a hub of art and exchange. The new facilities need to meet the needs of our broad audience, offering good access and flexible facilities for audience engagement.