Almost exactly a year ago, the Sunday Times published this brilliant article by Hugh Pearman about the revamp of the National Theatre. So this was my next stop on my day in London that started with the Royal Academy and ended at the Globe.
The piece was about the £80million refit by architects Haworth Tomkins. I.m not sure if the iconic concrete has been cleaned, but it seems fresh as the day it was poured between shutters (or in this case panels) made up of a number of carefully chosen rough sawn boards. These were only ever used twice, once each side so the timber grain pattern is never repeated.
Pearman loved the corners the original architect Sir Denys Lasdun created.
I have to say that the overall effect for me is still that unlovely "brutalism" although there is still plenty that I find exciting. Take the photo above and look from the other way. The entrance to the Dorfman Theatre (previously the Cottesloe and stuck on by Lasdun under pressure) is now inspired once the frontage has become part of the plaza.
The entrance and foyers of the main theatre have been remodelled. To the right of the entrance the foyer's existing widow remains intact.
But to the left, an expanded foyer and cafe (two cups of tea and half a cake), the tall window has been moved outwards. It actually looks new to me but it still replicates the original above. Brilliant.
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