Whitechapel Gallery unveils £13.5m expansion

The Whitechapel Gallery’s £13.5m expansion has been unveiled today.

The project, which is due to open to the public in April 2009, has transformed the former library building next to the east London gallery, increasing gallery space by 78 per cent.

The expansion has been designed by Belgian architect Robbrecht en Daem with London practice Witherford Watson Mann.

The expanded building features new galleries dedicated to presenting collections and new commissions, a permanent gallery and research room for the gallery’s historic archive, and an education and research tower including study and creative studios.

These spaces were all designed by the architects in collaboration with artist Rachel Whiteread.

The gallery will also feature new dining rooms created by Project Orange.

Holmes Wood has created the internal and external signage for the gallery, as previously reported in Design Week.

Iwona Blazwick, director of the gallery, says, ‘This century-old institution is the artists’ gallery for everyone. The exciting expansion enables the Whitechapel Gallery to open all year round, so there will always be something free to see. The gallery will become a major cultural resource and a destination for the arts.’