Lend Lease, the Australian property group, has won the prestigious £35m contract to redevelop the National Theatre.
Lend Lease beat rival Mace to take on the construction management role, Construction Enquirer reported.
The redevelopment, which is part of the NT Future project, will open up Denys Lasdun’s iconic building. It will improve access to the theatre complex and create a new café, a rooftop garden and a workshop.
The project will see the theatre opened up to create an extra 10,000 extra seats per year and reveal what goes on backstage through the creation of a high level public walkway overlooking the backstage areas of the theatre.
The foyers will be refurbished, the front of the building will be opened up to passers-by and an estimated 50,000 people will visit a new education centre every year.
The refurbishment of the Cottesloe Theatre to be renamed the Dorfman Theatre and a new Production Centre with design studios and workspaces for artists are also part of the plans.
The project architects are Haworth Tompkins and work is due to start in early 2012.
Paul Gandy, UK Operations Director at Lend Lease, said: “The National Theatre plays a vital role in the cultural life of the country and winning this chance to play a part in its future is a great result for Lend Lease.”
