Southbank Centre restoration gets funding boost
HLF has committed £4.9m towards £25m revamp of London arts venue
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has backed a £25m plan to redevelop London’s Southbank Centre, it was announced this week.
The HLF confirmed that it is providing £4.9m for the project, which has already secured £16.7m from Arts Council England.
The scheme, which is being carried out by architecture practice Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, includes the restoration of the Hayward Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room. The venues will close for two years while the work is carried out.
“This award from the HLF is a vital contribution to the much-needed restoration of these wonderful buildings,” said Alan Bishop, the chief executive of the Southbank Centre.
“The work will make the buildings fit for future generations to enjoy and give our audience access to the kind of world-class facilities they now use in the Royal Festival Hall. The next step will be to improve the public realm around the buildings making it more accessible to the public and in harmony with the Royal Festival Hall and our neighbours on the South Bank.’”
The redevelopment will include the restoration of the Hayward Gallery glass pyramid roof, which will allow natural light into the building and will return the upper galleries to their original height.
The Hayward Gallery is led by Ralph Rugoff and recent exhibitions have included solo shows featuring the work of Antony Gormley, Ed Ruscha, Tracey Emin, Mark Wallinger, Dan Flavin and Jeremy Deller.
The HLF award will support a public heritage programme that will see the creation of a Southbank Centre Archive Studio in the Royal Festival Hall. The working archive will be designed by architecture practice, Jonathan Tuckey Design.
More money is needed to complete the project and so the Southbank Centre has launched Let The Light In, a campaign to raise the remaining £3.9m. About 6.25 million people visit the 21-acre Southbank Centre site each year.
The HLF confirmed that it is providing £4.9m for the project, which has already secured £16.7m from Arts Council England.
The scheme, which is being carried out by architecture practice Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, includes the restoration of the Hayward Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room. The venues will close for two years while the work is carried out.
“This award from the HLF is a vital contribution to the much-needed restoration of these wonderful buildings,” said Alan Bishop, the chief executive of the Southbank Centre.
“The work will make the buildings fit for future generations to enjoy and give our audience access to the kind of world-class facilities they now use in the Royal Festival Hall. The next step will be to improve the public realm around the buildings making it more accessible to the public and in harmony with the Royal Festival Hall and our neighbours on the South Bank.’”
The redevelopment will include the restoration of the Hayward Gallery glass pyramid roof, which will allow natural light into the building and will return the upper galleries to their original height.
The Hayward Gallery is led by Ralph Rugoff and recent exhibitions have included solo shows featuring the work of Antony Gormley, Ed Ruscha, Tracey Emin, Mark Wallinger, Dan Flavin and Jeremy Deller.
The HLF award will support a public heritage programme that will see the creation of a Southbank Centre Archive Studio in the Royal Festival Hall. The working archive will be designed by architecture practice, Jonathan Tuckey Design.
More money is needed to complete the project and so the Southbank Centre has launched Let The Light In, a campaign to raise the remaining £3.9m. About 6.25 million people visit the 21-acre Southbank Centre site each year.