Willmott Dixon is now six months into the restoration of the east wing at Alexandra Palace in north London.
The £17m project is being led by Simon Wilson, operations manager at Willmott, working alongside architect Fielden Clegg Bradley. The work involves creating a new theatre with capacity of up to 1,300 people and also reinstating the balcony.
The Victorian theatre dates to 1875 and will be brought back to life as an adaptable performance space which can be used for a range of community, cultural and commercial events including theatre, cinema screenings, live comedy, acoustic music and corporate entertainment.
Other work includes the refurbishment of the east court entrance hall, restoring it to its original 1870s grandeur. The palace’s former BBC studios will also become an immersive TV experience for visitors. A gallery space will house a range of objects which focus on the technology, innovation and creativity of television.
Work on the project is expected to be completed in January 2018.
