Tenter Ground

Spitalfields, London Tracey Emin 690 m² | 7,430 ft² 2010

Conversion of warehouse into artist studio and flat.

The short terrace of warehouses at Tenter Ground in Spitalfields are all that remains of the Tenter Ground estate that was built at the start of the nineteenth century. Tracey’s brief was to convert these distinctive but dilapidated buildings into studio and workshop spaces, together with an ancillary flat and offices, whilst preserving the aged patina of the original structure.

The works involved the retention and repair of the building’s original, cut-brick façade, the extension of the rear elevation up to the site boundary and extensive alterations of the interior layout to include a basement pool, spa and archive room with environmental control.

At the rear of the building the floor plates are progressively stepped back, forming a light well at ground floor that draws daylight down into the basement. Large high-level windows and a cut back mezzanine at first floor level ensure that the ground floor studio is flooded with natural light whilst still providing large areas of wall space for the artist to produce and display her works.

Tracey was originally drawn to the building by its history and richness of character, and in order to ensure that this distinctive character was preserved, the original finishes were retained and reused wherever possible. Floorboards were carefully lifted and replaced in exactly the same positions to retrain historic wear patterns, whilst brickwork and concrete floors have been left undecorated and exposed, revealing traces of the building’s past and indicating the extent of the recent alterations.

Photography by David Grandorge.

brickwork and concrete floors have been left undecorated and exposed, revealing traces of the building’s past and indicating the extent of the recent alterations