Thoughtful refurbishment breathes new life into a landmark Grade II listed performance venue in South-East London.
Talk to Bruno Mendes about Culture
Woods Bagot has thoughtfully refurbished this much-loved Grade II listed performance and rehearsal venue, enhancing its internal spaces to improve the audience and performer experience.
Owned by Greenwich-based Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Blackheath Halls is part of London’s oldest surviving purpose-built cultural complex and serves as a local landmark. The refurbishment is part of a broader initiative to ensure the long-term sustainability of the hall as a vital community entertainment venue.
Yin Hui Chung, Woods Bagot Associate and project leader shared, “It’s been a privilege to contribute to the enhancement of Blackheath Halls, a beloved cultural landmark with a rich legacy. We are proud to have played a role in its transformation, striking a balance between heritage and contemporary needs to ensure the hall remains a vibrant, premier venue for performers, audiences, and the community.”
At the core of the building is the Great Hall, a performance space for many different ensembles, and large-scale rehearsals and recordings including world-renowned orchestras. The original building posed several spatial and operational challenges, such as a raked stage and the absence of fixed seating. To accommodate a full range of performances including dance, musical theatre, touring productions and music events, the main stage has been levelled. New dressing rooms and a green room have also improved the backstage experience for performers and other users. The introduction of retractable seating has vastly enhanced sightlines and audience comfort, while upgraded décor and acoustics have elevated audience experience, all while preserving the historic barrel-vault ceiling.
The hall can hold 1000 people for standing events and 500 for seated in a formal theatre arrangement.
“This refurbishment has indeed breathed new life into Blackheath Halls. Woods Bagot have combined sensitivity to the history of the building with an understanding of the requirements needed to make a 21st century performance and community venue thrive. As one of our regular visitors commented on re-launch ‘I do congratulate you on a superb refit. The improvements have hugely enhanced the experience for performers and audience members alike’ “
Gemma Okell, Director, Blackheath Halls
During this process, the front-of-house interiors were also refurbished. Woods Bagot expanded the bar area and redesigned the box office, breathing new life into these spaces with a contemporary colour palette and features that complement the existing heritage detailing.