Tate Modern / Bankside

Over the past two years the project, Transforming Tate Modern, aimed at establishing the full potential of the entire Tate Modern site and surrounding areas, has been developed by a design team led by architects Herzog & de Meuron.

Work will start on site in mid-2009 and it is intended that the new building will be completed in time for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. When complete, the new development on the south side of the Tate Modern will provide 60% more gallery space and provide a route through the building, connecting the City (over the Millennium Bridge) with Bankside and Southwark.

The transformed Tate Modern is destined to become a cultural campus, incorporating exhibition and performance spaces, education spaces, shops, cafes and new terraces. As part of this process, FDSA were asked to prepare a specification and programme to assist in the transformation of the adjacent EDF energy substation, on the South side of the Tate Modern.

A principal part of the specification was to incorporate a flexible fire alarm & detection system to cover all phases of the development, with the potential for further expansion. Having worked successfully with EMS on other projects, FDSA specified EMS's 5000 FirePoint intelligent radio analogue addressable fire detection system. Working closely with Areva, the Project Managers, the designers Arup and Boon Electrical, the principal electrical contractor, FDSA will also be responsible for installing and commissioning the radio fire alarm & detection system to meet the criteria of the final design stage for handover to the client.

Martin Reed, Managing Director of FDSA described this as "an important, exciting and challenging project, which proves that, with the right support, infrastructure and commitment, small businesses need not be excluded from high-profile schemes".