Reinvention of the Roundhouse gave new life to a unique historic building, and to London’s cultural scene. Built by engineer Robert Dockray and railway pioneer Robert Stephenson in 1846, the cylindrical shed originally housed a turntable for steam engines, and later served as a gin warehouse before falling into disuse for a quarter of a century. In 1964 the playwright Arnold Wesker turned the dilapidated structure into a home for avant-garde theatre and alternative music, which hosted a panoply of notable performances from Peter Brook’s production of The Tempest to concerts by Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd. It closed in 1983, but the grade II*-listed structure continued to host raves and art installations even as it fell into further disrepair in the 1990s.
Client: The Norman Trust
Dates: 1997—2006
Architect and Landscape Architect:
John McAslan + Partners
Consultants
Anne Minors Performance Consultants
Buro Happold
Paul Gillierion
General Contractor:
Tolent Construction
Awards
Medal Winner
Winner
Decline was reversed when the Roundhouse was acquired by the philanthropist Sir Torquil Norman, who envisaged a creative centre where young people could develop skills in music, media and theatre, supported by a public performance venue.
Alterations to the building had three principal components: the sensitive repair of the brick drum and its conical roof, which house the concert venue; conversion of its undercroft to form the Creative Studios; and a contemporary extension to accommodate front-of-house facilities. Placement of ‘servant spaces’ around the perimeter preserves the dramatic volume of the drum and allows their addition to be reversed if necessary – an arrangement that reflects JMP’s interest in the work of American modernist Louis Kahn.
Handling of heritage
The brick drum remains the heart of the complex, and a key design priority was to meet the demands of modern concert production while retaining both its rugged functionality and the expressive character of Victorian engineering. Reconstruction of the conical roof included the invisible insertion of a steel structure between the timber soffit boards and retained Victorian slates, which takes the load off the building’s central ring of cast-iron Doric columns and transfers it to the walls. Theatrical equipment, including the lighting rig and a technicians’ catwalk, is also suspended from this structure. Above, the building’s original rooflights were reinstated to admit abundant daylight when required.
New steel-framed balconies echo the delicate design of the historic ironwork. Flexible seating and staging allow configurations ranging from intimate theatre to standing concerts for several thousand people.
Below the auditorium, the vaulted undercroft once collected ash from steam engines, in pits that radiate outward like the spokes of a wheel. Excavation of sloping ground on the north side of the Roundhouse exposed more of this lower level, forming a small sunken forecourt and new entrance. With the support of English Heritage, heavy radial walls were partially removed to create a circular corridor connecting soundproof rehearsal and recording rooms in the old brick chambers.
Old and New
Within the Creative Studios, the material palette balances preservation and transformation: exposed masonry is complemented by warm wood and bright-coloured acoustic linings, while subtle lighting accentuates the curves of the vaults.
A contemporary language was also chosen for the curving three-storey addition that wraps the north side of the rotunda, and provides a bar, box office, cloakrooms and offices. Its street-facing façade of glass and steel contrasts with the solidity of the brick drum, and emits a welcoming glow at night. Inside, a top-lit, triple-height foyer separates new facilities from the brick drum, and is spanned by bridges leading into the auditorium.
Engine for creativity
Over two decades since the venue reopened, its versatility and broad appeal have been reflected in its selection for a wide variety of private and public events attended by millions, from concerts by Bob Dylan and Radiohead to iTunes festivals and avant garde circus shows – a full reinstatement of the eclectic mix that characterised the building in the 1960s. In the same period, the Creative Studios have given opportunities to more than 80,000 young people. As a place for artistic discovery, shaped by a clear social purpose and imbued with a sense of its rich history, the Roundhouse has been firmly reestablished as a vital cornerstone of London’s cultural life.
