THE RISE OF THE CREATIVE CLASS and how it's transforming work, leisure, community and everyday life
The Case of BANKSIDE POWERSTATION, London SHREYA MAHAJAN | C1865043 | MAUD Spring Studio 2018-2019 | CPT897 - Development Management
ABSTRACT This case study is drawn upon and compared with respect to the book "The Rise of the Creative Class" by Richard Florida. It questions the conventional limits of regeneration and highlights the range of approaches, especially in relation to social and economical factors, and the fact that different policies evoke, or construct, various ‘publics’, ‘visitors’ and ‘audiences’. The question of how did the creative class rise is given an extra twist when the discussion is about Bankside Powerstation (now a museum known as Tate Modern). To this end we identify the manifest tensions between the setup of this museum and the potential to undermine its core purpose. I suggest upon a literature of Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai to provide contrasting context with similar notions of inclusion since such analyses sensitize the debate regarding regeneration and will illustrate these issues by reference to Tate Modern in London.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS ►►Questions the conventional methods of economic growth. ►►Identifies the factors affecting the rise of the Creative Class and its impact on work, leisure and neighbourhood. ►►Argues that weak ties are often more important for the economy. ►►Provides an example of Jehangir Art Gallery that challenges the context and evolves on passive notion of social inclusion and its impact on the society. ►►Illustrates the benefits of attempting to ‘think together’ two quite different materials : the case of museum context with the book by Richard FLorida "The Rise of the Creative Class". Its concepts of society and economy offer some pointers toward a reformed vision of what and who is being affected by the rise of the creative class.
KEY WORDS Tate Modern, Museum, Art, Culture, Community, Creative Class, Society, Economy.
CONTENTS PART I 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Location and Existing Context 1.3 Timeline of Development 1.4 Why is the museum named Tate 1.5 Finance - How was the museum set up?
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PART II 2.1 Land Ownership in the Area 2.2 Constraints 2.3 Opportunities
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PART III 3.1 Factors affecting the Transformation of Everyday Life 3.2 Rise of the Creative Age : Building the Creative Community 3.3 The Geography of Creativity : Effect on Neighbourhood, Work and Community 3.4 From Social Capital to Creative Capital : Effect on Life and Leisure 3.5 Conclusion : The Power of the Place 3.6 Critical Reflections
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PART IV 4.1 Rethinking Tate Modern as an Art Museum "brand" 4.2 New Steps : Future Cases
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PART I 1.1 Introduction "Activities... became steadily more commercial as they internalized corporate models of activity, establishing alliances with business, bringing their products closer to commercial culture, and modelling themselves less on libraries than shops and theme parks." (Stallabrass,2004,p.14). Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group (together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives and Tate Online). It is based in the former Bankside Power Station, in the Bankside area of the London Borough of Southwark. Tate holds the national collection of British art from 1900 to the present day.Tate Modern is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world. There is no admission charge for access to the collection displays, which take up the majority of the gallery space, while tickets must be purchased for the major temporary exhibitions. The gallery is London’s second most-visited attraction, behind the British Museum. Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tate) 5.5 million visitors annually
PART I
Tate Modern, London
Founded in 1897
Source : https://www.artfund.org/whats-on/museums-and-galleries/tate-modern
Founder : Henry Tate
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1.2 Location and Existing Context Access : ►►Good pedestrian connections by Tube and bus ►►Strong east-west link along river ►►Poor signage for pedestrians around the area ►►Integration into cycle route network But...
Tate Modern
►►No north-south routes that provide priority for people rather than vehicles ►►No east-west route that provides a pleasant environment for people rather than vehicles, apart from the riverwalk ►►Predominance of vehicular traffic in the area, including key access routes ►►Predominance of car parking
Tate Modern
►►Difficulties accommodating coaches
Source : Author
PART I
Map showing Access Network to Tate Modern
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1.3 Timeline of Development Tate first opened its doors to the public in 1897 when it had just one site, displaying a small collection of British artworks. Today Tate has four major sites and the national collection of British art from 1500 to the present day and international modern and contemporary art, which includes nearly 70,000 artworks. Part of the Tate group, the gallery was opened in 2000 in a former power station on the bank of the River Thames and was a finalist for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2017. Originally the Tate collection was held at Millbank (now Tate Britain), but after the additions of Tate Liverpool in the 1980s and Tate St Ives in the 1990s, the decision was made to create a second London gallery specifically for modern and international art. In 1995 Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron were appointed to convert the Bankside Power Station for this purpose; their vision was structured around the building's original features – a magnificent turbine hall of 35 metres high and 152 metres long, as well as a boiler house and central chimney. The huge success of the gallery meant that by 2004 it was struggling to contain the number of people that wanted to visit. The new ten-story extension was completed in 2016, increasing the size of Tate Modern by 60 per cent. The gallery is now able to showcase more of its collection and offer dedicated spaces for performances of live art. It also boasts a viewing terrace with panoramic views across London. The redevelopment means the Turbine Hall now lies at the heart of the museum. Source : http://www2.tate.org.uk
PART I
Source : Author
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1.4 Why is the museum named Tate? HENRY TATE In 1889 Henry Tate, an industrialist who had made his fortune as a sugar refiner, offered his collection of British nineteenthcentury art to the nation and provided funding for the first Tate Gallery. Tate was a great patron of Pre-Raphaelite artists and his bequest of 65 paintings to the National Gallery included John Everett Millais’ Ophelia 1851–2 and J.W.Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shalott 1888. The bequest was turned down by the trustees because there was not enough space in the gallery. A campaign was begun to create a new gallery dedicated to British art. With the help of an £80,000 donation from Tate himself, the gallery at Millbank, now known as Tate Britain, was built and opened in 1897. Tate’s original bequest of works, together with works from the National Gallery, formed the founding collection.
1.5 Finance - How was the museum set up? The arts and antiques dealers Sir Joseph Joel Duveen (1843–1908) and his son Lord Joseph Duveen (1869–1939) made significant financial contributions to the original gallery at Millbank. With their support, large extensions were added to the gallery including seven new rooms to display the Turner Bequest in 1910 and the Duveen Sculpture Galleries, the first galleries build specifically for sculpture in England. Tate Members was founded in 1957 as the Friends of the Tate Gallery to raise money to buy artworks and to support and promote the work of the gallery. Their fundraising work has made possible the purchase of nearly 400 masterpieces for the gallery, including such notable works as Henry Moore’s King and Queen, Henri Matisse’s The Snail, and Pablo Picasso’s Weeping Woman. Source : http://www2.tate.org.uk
PART I
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PART II 2.1 Urban Development Policies The Tate Modern neighbourhood is under different ownerships with a complex functional mix. The shift from an agricultural to a capitalist industrial economy generated incredible disruption - huge flows of people from farm to the factory, from the rural hinterlands to great urban centres and brought social problems ranging from workplace injury to crime, congestion and disease. Inequality is highest in the creative epicentres of the economy. The changing nature of Tate Modern neighbourhood is quite similar. It shows how society and economy is affected with change in the function of a building. Service economy is the support infrastructure of the creative age. When Bankside Powerstation was converted into Tate MOdern. the real need was to bring more people into creative work - to create more markets and opportunities to tap the creative capabilities of far greater number of people. Tate Modern is the key economic and social organizing unit. It is now a place matching people to Source : Author, Base Map : Google Earth Different Ownerships in Tate Modern Neighbourhood jobs; jobs to people. PART II
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2.3 Project Realities - Constraints ►►A protected view corridor to St. Paul’s Cathedral imposes a height restriction of 50m for any development to the east of the chimney of Tate Modern. ►►The area is covered by a coach ban with coach parking on Southwark Road, which blights the building frontages there and will reduce the value of redevelopment on adjacent sites. ►►The old street pattern create difficulties for accommodating the demand from cars. There are problems of congestion and competing demands for parking. ►►The path of the sun throughout the day means that much of the area is in shade. This has an adverse effect on much of the open space particularly adjacent to the riverwalk. ►►The large number of visitors to the area place considerable pressure on the existing infrastructure.
Map showing constraints and opportunities in Tate Modern Neighbourhood Source : Author
PART II
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2.3 Project Realities - Opportunities ►►The open space around Tate Modern is a well-used and precious resource in this area of London. The integration of the river walk is vital. These areas should be enhanced as public spaces. ►►The accessibility of the area could be enhanced by opening up routes through sites. For example the new pedestrian route over the Millennium Bridge arriving at the northern entrance to Tate Modern could be continued through the building and then extended on through the site currently occupied by St Christopher’s House. ►►The area contains spectacular views, in particular the view of Tate Modern’s chimney from Great Suffolk Street and St Paul’s from Great Guildford Street. These should be enhanced in new developments, the tower acting as a wayfinder from Southwark tube. ►►The existing riverside walk is a precious resource for recreation. It has been improved recently and could be improved further for example by attention being given to improve the bottlenecks. ►►The area has the potential to be special and unique in London. The location of Tate Modern and the current open space could be sensitively developed to create an urban square that meets the needs of the community whilst reflecting the new status of Bankside. ►►The location of a number of key development sites provides a rare opportunity for a co-ordinated approach to the regeneration of the area. This would involve the creation of a shared vision which recognised the mutual benefits that accrue from integrating different developments and enhancing the public realm .
PART II
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PART III 3.1 Factors affecting the Transformation of Everyday Life
SOCIO ECONOMIC
POLITICAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
►►Urbanisation and
►►Identity and Culture
►►Density
►►The Privatisation of
►►Urban Mobility
Inequality ►►“New urbanism” ►►Social history ►►Land purchasing ►►Urban economics
public space ►►Assembly, Society and Protest
►►Infrastructure ►►Local/Global Responsibility
►►"The Right to the City"
According to the above mentioned factors, the case of Tate Modern is further analysed on the socio economic aspect of New Urbanism. The study of density and functional mix analyses how the rise of the creative class has affected on the neighbourhoods, work places, community and leisure.
PART III
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3.2 Rise of the Creative Age : Building the Creative Community Who works in creative class? Trend of Creative Economy : Geographic factors are seeing sorting along class lines. Different classes of people have long sorted themselves into neighbourhoods within a city or region. But now-a-days we find a large-scale resorting of people among cities with some regions becoming centres of the Creative Class while others are composed of larger shares of working class or service class people. These centres of the creative class are more likely to be economic winners. Communities and organizations trying to set a creative agenda, it may be a good place to start. The museum is drawing waves of energetic, intelligent people from all over the world to its shores. Creativity is not tangible asset, we must begin to think of creativity as a common good, like liberty or security. Creativity is the driving force of economic growth, in terms of influence the Creative Class has become the dominant class in the society. Thus creativity has come to be the most highly prized commodity in our economy - and yet it is not a "commodity". Creativity comes from people. And while people can be hired and fired, their creative capacity cannot be bought and sold, or turned on and off at will. As fundamental source of creativity, people are the critical resource of the new age. As Jane Jacobs (1961) pointed out, successful places are multidimensional and diverse - they don't just cater to a single industry or a single demographic group; they are full of stimulation and creative interplay. 1. Creativity is essential to the way we live and work today, and in many senses always has been. Traditional economic factors such as land and natural resources, physical labour and capital have become either less crucial or more readily obtainable. 2. Human creativity is multidimensional. It is not limited to technological innovation or new business models. Creativity involves different kinds of thinking and habits that must be cultivated both in individual as well as surrounding society. PART III
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Defining our identities along the varied dimensions of our creativity. Creative class is the norm - setting class of time. But its norms are very different : Individuality, self expression and openness to difference are favoured over the homogeneity, conformity and "fitting in". The adjacent maps show how the Tate Modern neighbourhood was subject to chnage with the evolution of the museum. The original power station was built by the City of London Electric Lighting Company in 1891 and over the years underwent a number of extensions and upgrades to form the building with the two rows of chimneys. The design of the original power station and
1892 - Before construction of Bankside Powerstation
1940 - Bankside Powerstation
1990 - Bankside Powerstation
2019 - Tate Modern
Maps showing evolution of Tate Modern area
Source : Digimap
the equipment used was highly polluting with so many chimneys pouring smoke, ash and grit onto Bankside. The 1943 County of London Plan proposed the redevelopment of the south bank of the river to remove heavy industry and line the river with offices, flats and public gardens with commercial and light industrial buildings to the rear. Heavy industry such as power stations were to be relocated out of central London. The nation's geographic centre of gravity was shifted away from traditional industrial regions towards new axes of creativity and innovation. The Creative class is strongly oriented to large cities and regions that offer a variety of economic opportunities, a stimulating environment and amenities for every possible lifestyle. PART III
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3.3 The Geography of Creativity : Effect on Neighbourhood, Work and Community Communities and organizations tried to set a creative agenda, it was may be a good place to start. Drawing waves of energetic, intelligent people from all over the world to its shores. Creativity is not tangible asset that can be hoarded or fought over or even bought and sold. We must begin to think of creativity as a common good, like liberty or security. Creativity is the driving force of economic growth, in terms of influence the Creative Class has become the dominant class in the society. Thus creativity has come to be the most highly prized commodity in our economy - and yet it is not a "commodity". Creativity comes from people. And while people can be hired and fired, their creative capacity cannot be bought and sold, or turned on and off at will. The picture below shows the drastic difference in residential area when the building used to be a powerstation as compared to the present condition of the museum. As fundamental source of creativity, people are the critical resource of the new age.
Residential area near Tate Modern (Bankside Powerstation) in late 18th Century Source : Author, Base Map : Google Earth
PART III
Residential area near Tate Modern in 2019
Residential area Tate Modern
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3.4 From Social Capital to Creative Capital : Effect on Life and Leisure The rise of the creative economy has altered the rules of the economic development game. Supporting creativity across the board in all its various facts and dimensions and building a community that is attractive to creative people not just to high tech companies. Several forces have combined to bring people and economic activity back in the Tate Modern neighbouhood. The map below shows leisure spaces which indicates that there has been a bloom in the evolution of the creative economy thus benefiting the social and cultural aspects for the city.
Map showing leisure spaces in Tate Modern Neighbourhood Source : https://geo.southwark.gov.uk
PART III
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People have become increasingly disconnected to one another and from their communities. The looming social capital is thus rattling many aspects of our neighbourhoods. But weak ties are often more important because we can manage many more of them. Weak ties require less investment and we can use them more opportunistically. The shift from small homogeneous communities of strong ties to larger, more heterogeneous communities to weak ties is a basic fact of modern life. The members of the groups did not remain constant but the types endured, represented by some old and some new individuals. Neither it is desirable or even possible to bring back the kind of community we used to have. Strong sense of Community have the potential to combine innovation and economic growth with authentic community and a better way of life. The real issue is how well we understand the driving forces at work in the society today and use them to build the more cohesive and equally open and tolerant communities we desire. The area and its urban interior must serve a number of primary functions to ensure its long term endurance and identity within competing London districts. The Railway stations, Guy's Hospital, Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, London South Bank University, Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre represent a diverse range of cultural and business interests. Between them these "institutional players" have the potential to support and active public realm, a necessity not just in social and economic terms, but also in contributing significantly to the use of small open spaces. It is important to resist these highly specific and self-intrested institutions as autonomous and to understand how they can each contribute to a common program for the public realm and social Institutional players engagement. PART III
Institutional players Source : Witherford Watson Mann Architects
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The rise of creativity is an economic force which has brought new economic and social forms into existence. The Creative Class consists of people who add economic value through their creativity. It thus includes people who emphasize their true role in the economy. With the Internet and the modern telecommunication and transportation systems, the thinking goes, it is no longer necessary for people who work together to be together. Place remains important as a locus of economic activity because of the tendency of firms to cluster together. The map shows buildings of public iterest in Tate Modern Neighbourhood. The new economy operates in a 'space' rather than a place and over time more and more economic transactions have migrated to this new space. Economic growth is regional - it is driven by and spreads some specific regions, cities or even neighbourhoods. Setting up of one such institution encourages further creative development of the economy. The decision of shifting the industrial area out of the city of London has given rise to the Buildings of public interest development of the creative class. History of the place Railway Station is equally intresting for people and quite meaningful Source : Author Map indicating Buildings of Public Interest near Tate Modern for city's social and economic status. PART III
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3.5 Conclusion : The Power of the Place Creative class may ultimately have to invent new forms of collective action. Virtually, every citizen as a stake in the nation's long-term economic strength. Members of the creative class thus have an economic interest as well as a moral imperative to reduce class divides, not just through charity or government transfer payments but by tapping the creativity of the many and thus ensuring that all are integrated into the Creative Economy. The creative class can start by offering those in the other classes a tangible vision of ways to improve their own positions, either by becoming part of the creative economy or by coexisting with it. We cannot hope to sustain a strong creative economy in a coherent society. Thus our economic and social challenges are intertwined. The map shows the concentration of various Arts and Cultural Organizations in Tate Modern neighbourhood that helps in stimulating creativity, generating innovations and increasing wealth and economic growth. The accumulation of these institutions in a particular area stands out with its power of inclusion of different communities. Communities need to make it easier for people of all sorts to become involved. They essentially need to complement low barriers for effective participation. As Jane Jacobs noted (1961), communities generate social stability by mixing more permanent residents with people who come and go. Those who Arts and Cultural Institutions stay for extended periods provide the continuity Map indicating Arts and Cultural Organizations near Tate Modern while newcomers provide diversity and generate Source : https://geo.southwark.gov.uk the creative mix. PART III
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3.6 Critical Reflections Human creativity is the ultimate economic resource. Traditional models that say economic growth comes from companies or jobs or technology are thus incomplete. But other factors come into play : 1. Technology : measured by innovation and high-tech industry concentration. 2. Talent : not 'human capital' as usually measured but creative capital, which is talent measure functionally by number of people actually in creative occupations. 3. Tolerance : Places that are open and tolerant have an edge in attracting different kinds of people and generating new ideas. These 3 factors under the big umbrella of assests helps in the growth of a city. A happy city is a prosporous city! The key dimension of economic competiveness is the ability to attract, cultivate and mobilize the resources. 1. Crime is down and cities are safer. 2. Cities have become the prime location for the creative lifestyle and new amenities that go with it. 3. Cities are benefiting from powerful demographic shifts. 4. Cities have re-emerged as centres of creativity incubators of innovation. 5. Serious tensions are developed between established neighbourhood residents and newer, more affluent people moving in. A place must have all 3 : attract creative people, generate innovation and stimulate economic growth. PART III
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PART IV 4.1 Rethinking Tate Modern as an Art Museum "brand" Development and application of Tate Modern museum branding is done with the partnership of a branding consultancy named Wolf Olions. Branding concepts are applied to the museum because it does justice to the particularities of the arts and heritage, and also with a view of informing mainstream marketing theory. The leaders of the museum are a shift away from traditional cultural institutional values to a commitment to commodified offerings and a sign that Tate has become a 'cultural corporate'. Further discussions could include the measures that can be taken to prevent the museum shifting to a corporate institution by analysing the pros and cons of the same.
View of Tate Modern Building PART IV
Basic sketch : https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk
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4.2 New Steps : Analysing Jehangir Art Gallery Jehangir Art Gallery is an art gallery in Mumbai founded i 1952. The notion of the art district has been central to analyze the relations between arts and spaces, and more particularly to understand the recent evolution in the organization of contemporary art industry and practices in Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai Source : https://theculturetrip.com different urban contexts. Another important feature of the art district, derived from the industrial district model, is more rarely studied. A particular focus is given to the establishment of connections with places and actors often situated on the urban, economic and social margins. At the post-independence (1947), a particular neighborhood in Fort area named Kala Ghoda, began to established as an institutional, commercial and intellectual artistic center, shaping Kala Ghoda as the symbolic epicenter of the nascent Indian contemporary art world. ENQUIRIES ►►The role of the entrepreneurial and cosmopolitan milieu in early cultural developments ►►Shaping an art centrality in Fort, South Bombay ►►The institutionalization, expansion and limits of Kala Ghoda Art District ►►New territories of art production: Bombay suburb and beyond
Kala Ghoda Art District in Fort, South Mumbai Source : C. Ithurbide, 2014
PART IV
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References Www2.tate.org.uk. (2019). Archive Journeys: Tate History | Timeline | Tate. [online] Available at: http://www2.tate.org.uk/ archivejourneys/historyhtml/timeline.htm [Accessed 25 Mar. 2019]. A London Inheritance. (2019). Building Bankside Power Station - A London Inheritance. [online] Available at: https:// alondoninheritance.com/london-buildings/building-bankside-power-station/ [Accessed 26 Mar. 2019]. Florida, R. (2002), The Rise of the Creative Class, New York : Basic Books. Tate. (2019). Governance | Tate. [online] Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/about-us/governance [Accessed 25 Mar. 2019]. Ithurbide, C. (2014). Beyond Bombay art district: Reorganization of art production into a polycentric territory at metropolitan scale. Belgeo, (3). Jacobs, J. (1961), The Death and Life of Great American Cities, New York : Vintage Books. Minton, A. (2017), Big Capital: Who is London for?, London: Penguin, pp. 111-131. Jehangirartgallery.com. (2019). The History Of Jehangir Art Gallery | Jehangir Art Gallery. [online] Available at: https:// jehangirartgallery.com/the-history-of-jehangir-art-gallery/ [Accessed 25 Mar. 2019