West Wing: New Auditorium and Public Space, Somerset House, London

Descriptions

Somerset House (SH) is London's Working Arts Centre. We offer a ground-breaking arts and entertainment programme and are a home to the UK's largest creative community. SH is acknowledged to be one of the finest and largest public buildings of the C18th, being one of the most accomplished Palladian buildings in England. It is a Grade I listed complex.Somerset House Trust (SHT) wishes to enhance part of its estate in between the West and New Wings to improve its cultural public offer, strengthen its identity as a hub for artists and creative enterprise and create a new public space that follows the route of a now lost historical connection from the Strand towards the river (West Street). Aside from the external courtyard area, SH does not have any facilities for large performances and gatherings of more than 200 people at a time. SHT is therefore seeking to identify and appoint a design team for a new 1 600 m2 auditorium and public space, known as ‘West Street’.