Project: Tate Modern Art Gallery, Internal Repairs
Client: Tate Foundation
The project:
The Tate Modern is Britain’s national gallery of international modern and contemporary art which forms part of the Tate Group, comprised of four art galleries across the UK. It is one of the largest museums of modern & contemporary art in the world and the third most popular tourist attraction in the UK. The increasing popularity and continued footfall since its establishment in 2000 has resulted in a need for continued maintenance and refurbishment. APA Concrete Repairs Ltd were contracted to conduct internal repairs to concrete substrates, covering 11 floors of the concrete structure, to guarantee the architect’s vision of the internal appearance.
The solution:
Upon completion of an internal snagging survey which detailed all concrete defects; repairs to internal beams, columns, walls, soffits and stairs were completed, with all works being carried out using a Flexcrete Unimatch repair mortar. The works completed varied between the different floors of the museum, with much of the repair work focusing on levels 3, 4, 5 and 8. The majority of the work consisted of the removal of damaged concrete caused during construction, which were sympathetically repaired to maintain the appearance of an “as struck” finish. The targeted areas primarily encompassed repairs to internal concrete surfaces, including surrounding walls as well as the walls of the lifts and stairs.
The outcome:
The repairs to the internal concrete surfaces performed by APA were completed in February 2016, allowing the new Tate Modern extension to be successfully opened for the public to enjoy. The concrete repairs carried out were colour matched to each individual area, to maintain the architect’s aesthetic finish, therefore ensuring this iconic gallery will be viewed as the architect intended, allowing it to be an important tourist attraction for the city of London for years to come.
Materials Utilised:
• Flexcrete Unimatch Grey
• Flexcrete Unimatch White
