Angry occupants of the Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners-designed flats in Southwark claim gallery-goers are using zoom lens cameras and binoculars to look into their glass-walled apartments from the Tate’s popular new 10th floor viewing level.

Flat-owners in the 2015 Stirling Prize-shortlisted residential block told the AJ they felt like an extra ‘exhibit of the Tate’ and that they were regularly stared at for more than 12 hours a day.

It is understood letters have also been written to the Tate flagging up potential child protection issues.


Liberal Democrat councillor Adele Morris, who has taken up the residents’ concerns with the gallery over the impact of the south facing terrace at the rear of the £265 million Herzog & de Meuron-designed extension, described the situation as ‘exceptional and unusual’.

She told the AJ: ‘I was shocked when I walked behind visitors on the terrace and saw them using their zoom lenses [to look] into people’s living rooms - and then I went into a flat and witnessed them waving and pointing. The residents feel they are part of an extended art exhibition. It is really distressing for them.’

In July, Morris met representatives from the Tate in a bid to thrash out a solution, along with Southwark’s director of planning Simon Bevan, Dan Clarke and James Henderson from Native Land – the developer behind Neo-Bankside - and John O Mara from Herzog and de Meuron.

However residents’ calls for the terrace to be cordoned off, or for a screen to be built along the viewing platform, have fallen on deaf ears. The Tate said it had put up notices asking visitors to behave ‘respectfully’ but was not willing to restrict access or use of the area.

One resident told the AJ that the Tate had written to them suggesting they should install blinds, curtains or other appropriate privacy measures.


Morris added: ‘Either the Tate or Native Land or both must try and solve this, but despite several weeks of negotiation with all parties little has changed. I don’t think this is fair on the residents, and will keep the pressure on Tate and Native Land until they do something to properly deal with this.’

Now the residents have instructed a specialist planning lawyer to deal with the issues of privacy and public nuisance.

Neo Bankside won planning permission in June 2007 and the scheme started on site two years later and finished in 2012.

The original Tate Modern extension – then with a glass facade - was permitted in December 2008, and included a roof-top terrace. A revised proposal including a brick facade and the viewing gallery was permitted in May 2009 as work began on the adjacent Neo-Bankside.

It is understood Native Land did not raise any objections to the proposed terrace.

Morris added: ‘The Tate Modern extension and its viewing gallery were permitted in planning terms – as was Neo Bankside. However nobody really clocked the impact this was going to have on the residents living in the apartments.’

In response, a spokesperson for Tate Modern said: ‘The viewing level is an intrinsic part of the free public offer of the new building, providing a 360 degree experience that is virtually unique to London. Since the very first plans were drawn up in 2006 we have been through an extensive consultation and planning process, and have maintained an ongoing dialogue with local residents.

’During the development of the project, we were also approached by a number of those considering buying properties in the Neo Bankside complex, and shared information fully. At no point during this process were any concerns raised regarding the viewing terrace. There is signage encouraging the public and visitors to use it respectfully and responsibly.’

A spokesman for Native Land said: ’While development of NEO Bankside had already begun when plans for the new gallery were submitted to the lcoal authorities, potential buyers at NEO Bankside had access to marketing material which showed the lcoation of the planned viewing gallery.

’A model showing the planned Tate extension in context to NEO Bankside was also available’.

Last week the extension was named among the finalists for the 2016 Beazley Designs of the Year by the Design Museum (see AJ 01.09.16).