Cadogan Hall

Heritage and Conservation, Leisure, Listed

The creation of this successful concert hall and arts venue from a Grade II listed, redundant church for Cadogan Estate has safeguarded the future of the building. Now a permanent home for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra it is back in public use with a range of activities suited to the fine interior spaces and the building’s civic and townscape presence.

Client: Cadogan Estate
Location: London
Size: 950 seats, 5,900 sqm
Cost: £7.5m
Status: Complete

Extensive and fundamental changes were needed to satisfy modern expectations for this type of venue. Although there was an existing auditorium in the church, there were major issues to resolve with seating, performance space, acoustics and lighting.

The ceiling and the roof was re-detailed to provide acoustic insulation. Performance lighting and sound systems in the auditorium include the computer controlled theatrical lights on the ceiling. A large screen for films and visual presentations can be lowered and allows performances elsewhere to be relayed live by satellite or the internet.

Despite the scale of the auditorium, the stage, steeply raked stalls, and low gallery combine to create an intimate venue with 950 seats where the audience experience is to feel very much part of the performance.