Tate Galleries - St Ives - Palais de Danse Refurbishment

The Palais de Danse project is a sensitive refurbishment and extension of a Grade II listed building in St Ives, commissioned by Tate. It will become Tate's third site in the St Ives town, complementing the existing Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Once a vibrant social venue, the Palais de Danse was later acquired by Barbara Hepworth. Located just across the street from Trewyn Studio-Hepworth's primary workshop and now Hepworth museum-the former dance hall provided the larger space needed to create her monumental sculptures.

Notably, it played a key role in the development of Single Form, one of her most significant public commissions. The Palais de Danse is being transformed to support public engagement, informal programming, and to celebrate Barbara Hepworth's legacy-complementing her nearby museum and garden.

The design introduces level access throughout, a new welcoming entrance, a lift and stair for improved circulation, and flexible spaces including refurbished dance and small halls. New artist studios, visitor facilities, and staff areas support creative uses while preserving the building's historic character.

The project includes a change of use from a sculptor's studio to a gallery/museum with ancillary shop, sculpture studio, artist residency accommodation, and community use. External alterations include the creation of a new main entrance area, relevant highway works, a new attic extension to the Small Hall, a new roof to the Dancehall, demolition of the existing garage and erection of a new two-storey yard building, a roof terrace, green roof, installation of new windows and doors, air source heat pumps, associated plant equipment, and other associated works.

The contract will be let as a traditional contract, with tenderers acting as the Principal Contractor. The project will require careful planning and complex site logistics to ensure close coordination with the local area, community, and the historic fabric of the building itself.

It demands a contractor with extensive experience in heritage preservation-one who is proactive, collaborative, and sensitive to the exceptional standards of quality and care required for the successful delivery of the scheme. Please refer to planning submission PA24/06437 via Cornwall Councils planning portal.