Theatre on Fire - A conservation journey at Battersea Arts Centre

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Contents Acknowledgement............................................................................................................................... 2 List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Preface ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Prologue .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Act I – Ruins ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Act II – Remains ................................................................................................................................ 11 Act III – Replacement....................................................................................................................... 16 Epilogue ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................... 23

Acknowledgement I would like to extend particular thanks to Martin Lydon for sharing his time and insights, and Miles Glendinning for his excellent books and guidance.

List of Figures Figure 1 The Grand Hall in 1901 and in 2015 3 Figure 2 East elevation of EW Mountford’s New Parochial Office, Battersea 4 Figure 3 Images from the first phase of refurbishment, focusing on reconfiguration, office space and circulation.

5 Figure 4 The Grand Hall cupola on fire 2015 6 Figure 5 The Grand Hall after the fire (facing east) 7 Figure 6 St Luke’s Bombed Out Church, Liverpool theatre festival 8 Figure 7 A performance of Ado About Nothing at the Abbey Ruins (Reading Abbey Quarter) 9 Figure 8 The corridor of the Grand Hall, post fire and during a Youth Theatre Performance (date unknown) 10 Figure 9 Existing photographic internal section (facing west) through the Grand Hall (Haworth Tompkins) 11 Figure 10 Relationships of Patina 11 Figure 11 The Villa Savoy abandoned, 1959 12 Figure 13 The dilapidated exterior of Wilton’s Hall in 1997, and in 2015 14 Figure 15 Corridor walls surrounding the Grand Hall, with the patinas arrested in situ (Haworth Tompkins) 15 Figure 16 Grand Hall internal elevation post fire (Haworth Tompkins) 16 Figure 17 Wythenshawe Hall After the fire, and after the restoration 17 Figure 18 Chester Storyhouse in 1936 and 2017 18 Figure 19 Layers of the new ceiling structure (Arch Daily) 19 Figure 20 Model of the new roof and ceiling structure (Haworth Tompkins) 20 Figure 21 Grand Hall in use (Skelly & Couch) 21

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Figure 1 The Grand Hall in 1901 and in 2015

Preface That intangible thing – atmosphere – places theatre architecture as close to the theatre-goers experience as that of the church to its congregation. Its success lies not in logical formulae, but in somehow capturing the mystery of theatre.1 Battersea Arts Centre is a town hall turned arts centre that achieves this.

Following a fire in 2015 that devastated significant spaces within the Battersea Arts Centre, Haworth Tompkins set out to provide a design solution. What they delivered was a delicate and striking mixture of preservation and cutting-edge design [figure 1]. It joins the annals of architectural solution to trauma to structures.

The outcome is the result of countless decisions; it is a journey. By presenting the project as a journey the conservation decisions and the context in which they sit can be reviewed. The first stage is in the embers, faced with the ruinous shell that stands in the space between existence and destruction. Secondly, those elements which remain must be assessed and addressed. Finally, elements that succumbed to flames leave a void to be filled. What follows is an assessment of these three stages of the conservation process within their historical development and theoretical basis, with supporting case studies.

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(Brook, [1968] 1990) p73

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Figure 2 East elevation of EW Mountford’s New Parochial Office, Battersea

Prologue 1893 - Origins The call for a Town Hall in Battersea was answered by the Vestry of St Mary Battersea and the New Parochial Offices were completed in 1893 [figure 2]. EW Mountford described his design as ‘essentially English Renaissance, though perhaps treated somewhat freely’.2 It has a Suffolk red brick and Bath stone symmetrical principal, south façade, with the other three elevations in an Arts and Crafts style. This style, developed from the works of Pugin, Ruskin, Morris, and Mackintosh, is exemplified by details throughout the design by notable artists: sculptures by Paul R Montford, plasterwork by Gilbert Seale, Mosaic floors by Vitrous Mosaic Co3. The Municipal Building comprises of the southern wing of the building which provided the main civic functions, while a southern wing – the Grand Hall - was designed for public assembly. A single storey Octagonal Hall and bar wing connect the two wings.

1899-1901 – Extensions Significant extensions were added to the designs of JT Pilditch between 1899-1901, raising the west façade to two storeys and include a 400-person refreshment room.45 A new organ was designed in the Grand Hall by Robert Hope Jones.6 It remains the largest surviving Hope-Jones organ in the world.

1963 – Relocation of the Town Hall Following the introduction of the London Government Act 1963, Battersea was incorporated into borough of Wandsworth and the operations were relocated. Threats to its future in 1967 were met with loud cries from the locals and plans for demolition were ultimately revoked.

1970 – Listed and significance In early 1970, Battersea Town Hall was allocated a Grade II* Listed building. Its significance was attributed to its architectural features and cultural importance. The work of EW Mountford in Battersea and throughout England exemplifies late Victorian/ Edwardian civic architecture, and Battersea Town Hall sits handsomely within his catalogue. Externally, the building and much of its

(Saint, 2013) p15 (Historic England, 2010).

4 Omid 5 (Saint, 2013) p20 6 (Battersea Arts Centre., 2021).

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relief sculpture and decorative treatments had been well preserved, as had many of the elaborate internal public spaces.

The social and cultural legacy is equally significant. Battersea Town Hall illustrates governmental changes, political radicalism, and the local independence and civic pride.7 Its inception marks the move from vestry systems to local government in London, and was host to borough meetings, legislative activities, and elections, including that of John Archer, London’s first black mayor. The building performed duties in the World Wars as a recruitment and supply centre.8 As well as being the municipal centre of Battersea, the Grand Hall also hosted regular social events for the local public, including talent competitions and dances.

1974 – Battersea Arts Centre Following the relocation of the town hall, the Grand Hall continued to host events, whilst the Municipal Building sat redundant. Wandsworth Council reopened the building in 1974 as a community arts centre and by 1980 he Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) became an independent organisation, as it has remained.

2011 – Renovation Haworth Tompkins was employed by the BAC to execute a major refurbishment project, focusing largely on the Municipal Building, including the reconfiguration of public and office spaces, redirecting circulation and conservation of features like the existing mosaic floor [Figure 3]. External proposals included improving access, landscaping, and conservation works to existing features.

Figure 3 Images from the first phase of refurbishment, focusing on reconfiguration, office space and circulation.

2015 – The Fire On 13 March 2015, a fire broke out in the Grand Hall [figure 4], causing major fire damage to the Grand Hall, smoke damage to the Octagonal Hall and bar wing and water damage to the lower level of the Grand Hall. The roof was destroyed, including some high-level windows and melted steel structure.

Following the disaster, Haworth Tompkins returned to begin damage assessment and formulate a plan that would restore the fabric and preserve the significance of the Grand Hall.

7 8

(Saint, 2013) (Wandsworth Council, n.d.)

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Figure 4 The Grand Hall cupola on fire 2015

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Figure 5 The Grand Hall after the fire (facing east)

Act I – Ruins The fire caused severe damage to the Grand Hall; the roof and high-level walls were destroyed [figure 5], including the structural steel which had deformed in the heat. The remaining surfaces were afflicted with the consequences of the blaze. The lower levels were flooded by the fire service hoses, and further damage continued due to the building’s exposure to the elements. What remained was a ruinous shell. Once stabilised, the first conservation opportunity presented was to preserve the Grand Hall in this ruinous state.

The valorisation of ruins has developed for epochs. Even in obfuscation they are provocative; their broken beauty is ‘never seen with indifference’.9 Within Western conservation development, the cult of deploratio urbis or ruination of the city, began in Rome in the 14th century. By the 16th century, ruins were described as a metaphor for the frailty of humanity, but it was during the Enlightenment that ruins, and heritage itself, became widely intellectualised.1011 The age of Romanticism brought conflicting categories of Pastoral, man’s dominance over nature; Picturesque, nature in its natural state; and Sublime, the ultimate dominance of nature over humanity.12 German writers such as Goethe and Herder compared Gothic Cathedrals to Sublime Forests, whilst English preferences favoured the Picturesque. Meanwhile in Scotland, castles that fell were left as ruinous ‘objects of Sublime wonder’ throughout the Scottish landscape.13 Throughout Europe designers began to build artificial ruins, such as Wimples Folly, as the desire for ruins overcame the proximity of any authentic options.1415 Through the following centuries the cult of ruins, and fascinations with the cult, continued.

Connotations of sublime evolved into ruins as memento mori, or even as an encounter with death Whatley, T., cited in (Macaulay, 1953)Page 6 (Glendinning, 2013). p29 11 Omid. P46 12 (Burke, [1757] 1844) 13 (Glendinning, 2013). p62 14 (Toynton & Magazine, 2014).

15 (Macaulay, 1953) p236 9

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itself. As a mnemonic device, ruins remind the viewer of the destructiveness of time, standing in the gap between existence and destruction.16 The meditation and mourning that ruins evoke, prompt ‘reflections of the transience of Kingdoms and men, and to sadness at the thought of a vigorous and rich life now departed’.17 World War II left architectural casualties that confronted Britain with this reality. NewRomanticism had emerged in the war and accidental aesthetic merits of destruction were awarded in literature and art as appreciation for the Picturesque returned.18 However, the zeal of the modernist movement prevailed and few monuments were left. The Church of St Luke is one of these rare symbols. The Bombed-out Church, as it is more commonly known, stands proud in Liverpool, a naked reminder of the destruction in our history that is today embraced as both a commemorative ruin and a joyous venue. Today it is used as a venue for parties and weddings, and functions successfully as an open-air theatre [figure 6].19

Figure 6 St Luke’s Bombed Out Church, Liverpool theatre festival

Modern writers (Ginsberg; Trigg) look upon it with a more critical view; the redundancy of ruins is irrational.20 To Burke, these are inseparable: ‘[The Sublime] disorientate and undermine purpose’, intrinsically obscure.21 The beauty of ruins, whether Picturesque or Sublime, relies upon nature overtaking freely. Ruskin attributes the attraction to ruins to the Lower Picturesque; that is the disorder as much as the Sublime. To make way for disorder requires time and space for nature to take over, a luxury rarely afforded deliberately. In Nostalgia for Ruins, Huyssen remarks that there is no place for ruins in the modern culture of memory and commodity.22

(Benjamin, 1977).

(Hegel, [1837] 2001). p86 18 (Richards, 1942 ) 19 (Brennan, 2020) 20 (Cairns, 2014) p169 21 (Burke, [1757] 1844) 22 (Huyssen, 2006) pp.6–21.

16 17

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The opportunity to leave Battersea Arts Centre as ruinous folly was disregarded. Its significance does not merit memorialisation like that of the Parthenon or Pompeii. However, like Pompeii or British Churches in the 1940s, the ruination of the Grand Hall was the result of a singular event, not of redundancy, suggesting there was still use left in the ruins.

One step above obfuscation would be to clean away the debris, stabilise, and present the space back to the public as an open-air venue. Forums, amphitheatres, and colosseums were the original theatrical spaces, and more recently examples such as the Minack Theatre or The Globe are renowned. The ruinous remains of Abergavenny and Bothwell Castle and Readding Abbey [figure 7] also play host to performances, however as with all outdoors theatres, the season is restricted.

By its nature, these open-air venues are vulnerable to the elements, limiting the season to the summer months at the mercy of the British weather.23

Figure 7 A performance of Ado About Nothing at the Abbey Ruins (Reading Abbey Quarter)

Ultimately, to retain the building as a ruin was unnecessary and impractical. Public consultation was held within the ruin. This emotive act invited the locals into to the space to help them understand the remains, what was left and begin a conversation of revival.24

23 The conservation of this project was undertaken before the Covid-19 pandemic, so it was unnecessary to include here the increased demand for open-air venues.

24 (Lydon, 2020)

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Figure 8 The corridor of the Grand Hall, post fire and during a Youth Theatre Performance (date unknown)

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Figure 9 Existing photographic internal section (facing west) through the Grand Hall (Haworth Tompkins)

Act II – Remains Once clearing began, the state of the remains could be assessed [figure 9]. What remained was the melted remains of the surface coverings and delaminated paint, revealing decades of colour schemes, as well as the plaster and masonry behind them. The decorative plaster frieze over the proscenium arch remained intact, but its colour had faded.25 These marks, a colourful but irregular reminder of the blaze, present an opportunity of patina rarely earned on this scale and intensity.

The categorisation of patina is complex, and relative. Differentiating patina as a ‘problem of chemistry’ and dirt that of ‘judgement’ (Jokilehto), assigned by ‘systematic ordering’ (Douglas) is generally accepted.2627 It is useful to clarify differentiations between varieties of patina [figure 10], however, here they shall be combined as afflictions that are all universal consequences of built architecture’s entropy.

Figure 10 Relationships of Patina

Two polemic conservation approaches are those historically referred to as Scrape, and AntiScrape. Scrape refers to the scientific approach developed in Europe in the early 19th century, by which architectural remains would be recorded, cleaned, and repaired to a pre-damaged state.

Despite its best intensions, this often resulted in the destruction of historic fabric.

The Anti-Scrape movement grew in reaction to this. The idealistic appreciation for the patina in architecture began in the 19th century, returning to theories of picturesque and Sublime, and extending into spirit. Art critic and theorist John Ruskin wrote comprehensively on the subject, (Haworth Tompkins, 2015) p35 (Cairns, 2014) p70 27 (Douglas, [1966] 1970) p35 25

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arguing that these Golden Stains of Time were intrinsic to the building’s ‘life’ and that in cleaning them away the ‘that spirit which is given only by the hand and eye of the workman’ would be irreversibly removed.28 Even modern writers such as Pallasmaa describes how patina reveals the ‘enriching experience of time’, whilst confrontation with these architectural elements becomes and interaction with memory.29 From a less moralistic perspective, these stains also contribute an artistic value (or age value) that which can be intrinsically understood by the viewer, without requirement for explanation.30 The original Anti-Scrape group, now SPAB (The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings), implores conservators to treat the built heritage as a bygone art ‘that modern art cannot meddle with without destroying’ (although they rely on the educated to define such art, a contradiction to Riegl.)31 By the 20th century the appreciation of patina extended into phenomenology by neoidealists such as Brandi who concluded that architecture is the material substrate of timeless works of art, and thus worth conserving (actively or passively)32. Artistic preferences in patina can be seen in the arguments between the decays of differing materials; the weathering masonry readily preferred over that of concrete.33 Dirty Theorist Hélène Frichot suggests it gives way to a ‘creative movement’.34 The dilapidation of the Villa Savoye [figure 11] provides a case study to examine the bifurcation between patina and dirt through the views of two prominent 20th century architects. The building is the subject of posters produced by Bernard Tschumi that supported his ‘Architecture and Transgression’ explorations. The title of the poster reads ‘The most architectural thing about this building is the state of decay in which it is’.35 In his essay, Tschumi expands on this, accusing the Modern Movement of being intolerant to the ‘part of life that resembles death:.. the dissolving traces that times leaves on buildings.’ The meeting point of life and death possesses ‘the inscriptions of man or elements.’ His views contrast sharply with that of the Savoye’s architect. Le Corbusier refused to address the issues of his building. Instead, he expressed a clear favour for the washed, clean and whiteness to which he attributed to order and hygiene, over the cultivation of dust and filth, and showing distain for those who have a ‘taste for patina’.36

Figure 11 The Villa Savoy abandoned, 1959

(Ruskin, (1877) 1989) p187-188 (Pallasmaa, 2011) p31 & 63 30 (Riegl, 1998) p624 31 (Morris & Webb, 1877) 32 (Meraz, 2019) p163 33 (Lynch, 1990) p87-88 34 (Frichot, 2019) p10 35 (Tschumi, n.d.) p356-361 36 (Le Corbusier, 1947) p46 28 29

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This theory of hygienic modernism returns the conversation to a Scrape methodology. The 19th century advances in medicine and pathology sparked a cleanliness revolution that permeated architectural design. The development of the practice has also necessitated a differentiation between the positive and negative value of patina. Hostile foreign pathogens present a threat to the fabric, causing further material destruction. This is particularly true of chemical and biological growths. Ruskin argues ‘every stain of moss on eaves or wall adds to the delightfulness of colour’, however if allowed this moss would eventually devour its host without mercy.37 Regardless, it is generally agreed that these patinas are intrinsically unavoidable. Many implore the conservator to embrace these: ‘inhabit change rather than deny or deflect it’ DeSilvey writes.

This mirrors a resurgence and western appreciation for the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi that celebrates the imperfect, impermanent and incomplete38.

Theatres provide a well-suited location for this preserve as found, or arrested decay, treatment.

As with ruins, the dirt on the walls carries stories. Peter Brook took a similar approach upon discovering the Theatre des Bouffes du Nord. Describing the walls as ‘pitted by age, but at the same time noble, humane, light, breath-taking’39, they chose ‘not to erase the marks that a century of use had left’. Similar approaches were taken at The Bristol Old Vic (another Haworth Tompkins project) [figure 11] and Alexandra Palace. This approach appears to exemplify the Rough Theatre he had written about the previous decade. In aspirational theatre architecture he prescribes asymmetry, disorder, and dirt. Filth and vulgarity are natural, obscenity is joyous.40

Figure 12 Bristol Old Vic; Atrium wall at archaeology survey, and completed

Even in dereliction, the atmosphere of Wilton’s Music Hall drew audience. The once vibrant concert hall fell into disuse and decay after a failure to comply with fire regulations, an ironic intermission to the life of a venue that had recovered from a serious fire only 4 years earlier.41 Campaigns for its revival saw interest reignite and performers made use of the space for music videos and shows, all of which embraced the patinas. The early 20th century saw a refurbishment that deliberately preserved this atmosphere. Architect Tom Reynolds said of the building ‘it’s a rough, tough, working place whose character comes from wear and tear’ and this wear and tear has been preserved [figure 12].42

(Ruskin, 1903. ) (Koren, 2008) 39 Brook, P,. Shifting Point, cited in (Strong, J. & Association of British Theatre Technicians, 2010).

40 (Brook, [1968] 1990) p76 41 (Wilton's, 2017).

42 (Wainwright, 2015)] 37

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Figure 13 The dilapidated exterior of Wilton’s Hall in 1997, and in 2015

The decision taken at Battersea was arrested decay, incorporating the finished revealed by the fire.43 The architects invited professional conservators to treat the walls [figure 12], removing those patinas considered hostile or dirty. It became apparent that the collapsed roof allowed the smoke from the fire to quickly disperse, but where smoke damage or bitumen steaks remained, these were cleaned off. Loose material was brushed away, grout was injected where necessary to support vulnerable plaster, and the remains were sealed to enable future cleaning. ‘This is the realm of the informal’, Lydon reflects on how the design approach throughout the project was to work with the existing fabric as it was, even before the fire.44 In doing so the spirit of creativity and performance was encouraged in a way that a precious and pristine does not.45 The informality of the treatment encourages interaction and inclusion, and the colourful remains reveal traces of what the building has witnessed.

Figure 14 Grand Hall internal treatment to internal walls facing west (Haworth Tompkins)

(Haworth Tompkins, 2015) p10 (Cairns, 2014) p168 45 (Lydon, 2020) 43

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Figure 15 Corridor walls surrounding the Grand Hall, with the patinas arrested in situ (Haworth Tompkins)

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Figure 16 Grand Hall internal elevation post fire (Haworth Tompkins)

Act III – Replacement Within the Hall, many significant elements were lost to the fire. The roof and its ceiling, the highlevel masonry arches and clerestory windows, and the doors and stage at low level. Public consultation was held under the open sky where once a barrel-vaulted structure with decorative Victorian plaster ceiling hung.46 The opportunity presented was a blank canvas on which to design these replacement elements.

In the mid-19th century, the aforementioned scrape or ‘scientific’ restoration philosophy came into vogue in France. Historically, conservation would have been amateurly done as necessary repair work, but a new era of replica was beginning. The leading architect of this archaeological like methodology was Viollet-le-Duc, whose conservation strategy aimed for ‘completeness’, regardless of whether that outcome had ever existed previously.47 Gothic Revival Architect Sir G. G. Scott provided England’s alternative for faithful conservation, although the approach was less popular in England.48

(Lydon, 2020) (Viollet-le-Duc, 1854-1868) 48 (Glendinning, 2013) p122 46 47

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Figure 17 Wythenshawe Hall After the fire, and after the restoration

Recent execution of this theory can be seen at Wythenshawe Hall. Following a fire in 2016, a restoration strategy was implemented to ‘make the Hall more legible to the visitors’, that is to appropriately return it to a single, consistent state.49 Replicas of lost elements (roof timbers, windows, ceilings etc.) were made to maintain the overall appearance of a 16th century building [figure 13]50. In what the architect describes as a ‘very honest replica’, bespoke remedial solutions were made by historically accurate means, presenting one unified appearance.

It is precisely this ‘honesty’ that Ruskin denounced as ‘a Lie from beginning to end’.51 Within the Romanticism of the 19th century the Picturesque had evolved into the moral and spiritual personification of architecture. Polemic debates between Good and Evil had extended to the Architectural Conservation movement. The writings of English architect Pugin introduced a connection between Evil men, and the Evil architecture they produce. He and other British figures fought for the ‘life’ and spirit of these buildings be protected and they began to push against the materialism that had boomed during the industrial revolution. From these beliefs sprung a new style of architecture that favoured handmade and natural against manufactured and artificial52.

This style was the Arts and Crafts, to which Battersea Arts Centre belongs. Fathers of this movement include founders of private heritage group SPAB: William Morris and Philip Webb, who shared many of the beliefs of Ruskin.

As the Conservation Movement developed in the post war era, the sharp differentiation and juxtaposition between New and Old was formulised in charters and guidance provided by newly forming organisations. The ICOMOS The Athens Charter for the Restoration of Historic

(Buttress Architects, 2018) (Civic Trust Awards, 2021) 51 (Ruskin, (1877) 1989) p196 52 (Gleninning, et al., 1996) p334 49

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Monuments – 1931, and the later Venice Charter of 1964 discourages any conservation based upon conjecture and requires any replacements to be ‘fully distinguishable from the original’.53 The juxtaposition between new and old is common in performance venues, often as a result of necessary upgrades. The extravagant architecture often attributed to the genre may survive for decades in fashion, but its functionality is known to betray it. The technical requirements of theatre have progressed far, as have concerns of accessibility, fire safety, and environmental sustainability.

Even beyond upgrade, the theatre serves as a well-suited use for redundant buildings. The original use, were left legible, can give a playful, set-like feel to the venue; Audience members at Nevill Holt Opera theatre sit within a stable block, where a new steel and timber roof juxtaposes the existing stone walls. The walls of the Church of Saint Rocco, though painted white, still include the cornice, pilasters and arched niches that retain its evangelical history. Visitors to the Sala Equis will know they are in the infamous former Duque de Alba erotic theatre. Chester’s Story House embodies this transformation, transitioning from cinema to cinema/theatre/library. Pre-show refreshments are enjoyed under the proscenium arch of the pervious art-deco cinema screen, whilst a bold new staircase leads to the purpose-built theatre in the extension. There is something reminiscent of Alice-in-Wonderland about walking through the ghost of the screen to get to the show. Each in their own way, these projects embrace the transition between uses and lifetimes, adding a new act onto each building, whilst respecting those that came before.

Figure 18 Chester Storyhouse in 1936 and 2017

At the BAC, requirements for the roof and its significance were considered and a strategy was undertaken which took inspiration from the existing and produced a beautiful homage that better met the functional requirements. Designed as a public hall, the acoustics and technical provisions of the original ceiling were insufficient for use as a performance space, and to rebuild it as before was agreed to be inappropriate.54 However, it was still a significant element of the hall, curving up and over the hall from each wall with decorative detailing. Instead, the relief of the plasterwork ceiling was reproduced as an open lattice made of three layers of birch plywood [figure 14], maintaining the form and proportion of the existing ceiling whilst being clearly identifiable as a new addition. The perforations provide an acoustically transparent space and enabled rigging to be fixed through ceiling to the void above.55 The revised requirements of the Grand Hall include the provision of technical infrastructure that would support its multiple functions, acoustic (ICOMOS, 1964) (Lydon, 2020) 55 (Haworth Tompkins, 2015) p34 53

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performance upgrades and improved ventilation, which were able to be accommodated in the new design.56 A technical gallery was introduced above the new ceiling, making the space fully accessible. New doors and windows were added, in the style of the originals but benefitting from upgraded thermal and acoustic performance, and with slight reconfigurations to improve circulation.

Figure 19 Layers of the new ceiling structure (Arch Daily)

The new ceiling provides a joyous juxtaposition against the existing walls, neutralising any threat of a morbid aesthetic.57 It takes inspiration from the historic design and provides a more functional and modern design that has been highly praised by both the architectural and arts industries.

56 57

Omid. p35 (Lydon, 2020)

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Figure 20 Model of the new roof and ceiling structure (Haworth Tompkins)

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Figure 21 Grand Hall in use (Skelly & Couch)

Epilogue The fire in the Grand Hall at Battersea Arts Centre forced an evolution. In the wake of the fire a community campaign began, #BACPheonix. Director Phelim McDermott exalted ‘A fire destroys structures… but it also has the ability to release a spirit’.58 What began in tragedy became a felix culpa that enabled Lydon and the team at Haworth Tompkins to reveal more of the building’s history than had previously been seen, and correct long-term issues. The conservation strategies undertaken have empowered the building, making it more efficient and functional, whilst respecting its architectural, cultural, and social significance. The building reopened with a Phoenix Season in 2018, just in time to celebrate the buildings 125th anniversary.59 It has been gilded by both cultural and architectural bodies. The restoration work won three New London Architecture awards in 2020, RIBA awards at local and national level, and was awarded the Civic Trust AABC Conservation. The project received international praise, and in 2019 Steve Tompkins (director of Haworth Tompkins) was named the most influential figure in British theatre

by Stage Magazine for his work on the BAC and other theatres around the UK.60 The significance of the building lies not only in its architectural merit, but in its position within the political and cultural landscape of Battersea, and London. Much of the physical attributes were lost to the fire, and their significance lost too, but the genius loci has been preserved. The works have been received well, but its for posterity to decide their value and significance.

(McDermott, 2015) (Battersea Arts Centre., 2021) 60 (The Stage, 2019) 58 59

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