Southbank Centre
A magical position
The Southbank Centre, which includes the Hayward Gallery and the Queen Elizabeth Hall, occupies a magical position on the curve of the river Thames, with views to St Pauls to the east, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben to the west.
The site of the famous Festival of Britain, this is one of the most beautiful spots in London which is still capable of eliciting that deep intake of breath whatever the weather, whatever the time of day.
A Second Life for the Southbank Centre
A brief history of Southbank Centre and an exploration of how a building can shed its old skin in order to form a new one more suited to contemporary needs. //Producer/Director
Hope in the future
It is more than a place, it is a hugely compelling idea, designed by a group of radicals at the mundane-sounding London County Council Architects' Department at the end of the 1960s.
This historic department was then the world's largest architectural practice. It was also one of the most prestigious and most radical, attracting the brightest talent in British architecture.
These young designers took inspiration from the innovative and healing spirit of the 1951 Festival of Britain, and from the populist character and history of the south bank of the Thames, to create an expression of hope in the future.
Eschewing many of the accepted compositional forms of architecture, its designers looked to the future and celebrated modernity.
More workable, more enjoyable & more beautiful
Fast forward to the early 21st century, this urban landscape of intersecting concrete forms and terraces had become a successful venue for music, performance and fine art, deeply integrated into the Festival ethos that had brought the entire south bank of the river alive.
Letting the light in…
In spite of this success, the 1960s buildings were much maligned and misunderstood, many called for their demolition. But our team at FCBStudios, where I was then a partner, chose to celebrate their extraordinary history and, by unearthing the depth and breadth of the stories on this site, we helped the client fall in love with their buildings and worked to articulate their strengths in order to make them more workable, more enjoyable and more beautiful.
