The new Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate, on the north coast of Kent, will celebrate the town’s association with the English painter William Turner. Located directly on the seafront, on a site that was once occupied by a guesthouse frequented by Turner, the gallery will present both historic and contemporary exhibitions as well as a program of educational and cultural events. The design seeks to take maximum advantage of the dramatic setting and its extraordinary views, making strong connections both to the sea and the town. Located between land and sea, the two-storey gallery will have a strong and very visible sculptural presence on the site.

Raised on a plinth for protection against flooding, the building will be formed by six identical volumes with mono-pitched roofs that provide northlight into all the upper level galleries. The roofline will form the silhouette of the building, reminiscent of coastal vernacular architectures. The choice of white opaque glass as the cladding material has been influenced by the sculptural qualities of the building and the qualities of light playing on glass, almost as in a painting by Turner himself.