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The new Director of the National Gallery, Charles Saumarez Smith today unveiled the first phase of a master plan that signals a new era for visitors to the National Gallery, London. The building scheme commences with the Gallery's East Wing and will create a new entrance from Trafalgar Square, together with significant new areas of public space within the Gallery. As the first phase of the master plan, it will enhance the architectural qualities of the main building, and enable the Gallery to improve visitor access to the Collection through wider public use of the refurbished ground floor.
The East Wing Project has been carefully planned to take advantage of the current redesign of Trafalgar Square, the most radical in its history. From September 2002, the entire north side of the Square has been pedestrianised, which will create a grand new civic space in front of the Gallery. An imposing new set of steps designed by Lord Foster will encourage a natural flow of visitors between the Square and the Gallery.
Charles Saumarez Smith said today: “We want to welcome even more visitors to this great collection, and make sure that they get the most out of their visit - the new entrance to the Gallery from Trafalgar Square with new and improved interior spaces will make us more accessible than ever.”
The National Gallery has one of the greatest art collections in the world, seen by over 4 million visitors per year. The existing reception spaces, however, were designed to accommodate only a fraction of this number and have become cluttered and congested. Now the East Wing Project will transform the public's experience of the Gallery. Visitors will be welcomed in from the Square and led up to the great picture galleries through generous spaces for visitor reception, either restored to their original Victorian grandeur or reworked as airy open interiors with improved facilities.
The East Wing Project is designed by award-winning architects Dixon.Jones. A new light-filled atrium with new staircase and lift will be created within a previously hidden courtyard at the heart of the building. This will act as a link between visitor facilities on the ground floor and the main floor picture galleries. On the Gallery's ground floor, the new East Door will lead to the atrium, a new shop and an expanded and refurbished café, both designed by Din Associates. There will also be a spacious new lower hall at ground-level that will offer visitors the opportunity to use the new MicroGallery, giving interactive access to the entire picture collection, with a coffee bar in a comfortable area for sitting, reading and relaxing.
At the same time, the main portico entrance will be opened up to form a more generous space with improved reception facilities.The historic Victorian staircase hall beyond will be restored and the original decorative scheme by J.D Crace recreated. The Central Hall at the top of the stairs will become a major picture gallery at the heart of the building.
The East Wing Project costs are estimated at around £21 million. A generous gift of £10 million has already been received in honour of Sir Paul Getty, from Mark Getty and the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation, and a further £2 million has been raised from other private and charitable sources. The fulfilment of all elements of the Project is dependent upon the raising of further funds and on receipt of planning permission.
Work on the Project is scheduled to begin in late Spring 2003, with an estimated completion date for the beginning of 2005.
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November 2002
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