Mother of all loft conversions: how Tate Modern became building of the century

What was once a gloomy brickshed is now one of the most awe-inspiring art galleries in the world. The trick, says its architect, was to avoid fashion and glamour – and keep it raw

‘It is totally unimaginable now,” says Jacques Herzog, “but this was a huge chunk of the city that was completely excluded from public life, overgrown and set back behind high walls. It felt like Sleeping Beauty’s castle.”

The Swiss architect is referring to Bankside power station, the great brick hulk that he and Pierre de Meuron transformed into Tate Modern in the year 2000, turning it into a cathedral of art that is now officially the most popular attraction in the UK, receiving 5.9 million visitors last year. People don’t just come for the art, but to experience the most powerful architectural transformation of the century, and one of the most majestic indoor public spaces in the world.

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