National Theatre Studio, London
- Client: National Theatre
- Principal designer: Haworth Tompkins
- Principal engineer: Max Fordham
- Principal contractor: Rise Contracts
- Contract value: £4.5 million
About the project
The National Theatre Studio was the first purpose-built theatre workshop in the country. It was built in1958, designed by Lyons Israel Ellis, and Grade-II listed in 2005. But fabric was seriously dilapidated and the time had come for refurbishment. Restoration had to be sensitive. With significant changes to circulation and layout, the National Theatre Studio has been transformed into a centre for writers, directors and others to develop new work and test ideas. The refurbished building includes rehearsal studios, writers’ studies, offices and ancillary spaces, a public archive, seminar room, storage and education suite.
The architects aimed to preserve the building’s history as a fine example of English Brutalism, retaining existing fabric as much as possible. The distinctive boardmarked concrete frame had seriously degraded, so half of the surface area was replaced. Many of the original materials were salvaged, including reclaimed bricks, doors and ironmongery, and old wall panelling was made into furniture. In order to preserve the experimental quality of the original workshop, well-used surfaces were left untouched, leaving the paint frame wall resplendent with paint, glitter and glue as a visually striking feature.
A final challenge was the liquidation of the contractor’s parent company mid-contract. The successful completion of the studio is a testament to the commitment of the client, design team and contractor.
Judges' comment
"One of the heroic works of 1960s Brutalism seductively restored."