Haworth Tompkins to direct National Theatre

Haworth Tompkins has beaten off David Chipperfield, Allies and Morrison, Levitt Bernstein and Dixon Jones to win the commission to masterplan the future development of the National Theatre on London’s South Bank.

The practice, which is already working on a conservation management plan for the Grade II-listed Denys Lasdun building, will now produce proposals understood to include the development of a site behind the theatre to house education and 'participation activity'.

The firm will also be asked to animate the sides and rear of the National Theatre building and terraces. The masterplan will respond to the theatre’s concerns regarding institutional transparency, the need to replace infrastructure and pressure to reduce energy consumption.

Haworth Tompkins, which completed the redevelopment of the National Theatre studio block in November 2007, is expected to publish its conservation report at the end of this month (December 2008).

Of the win,director Steve Tompkins said: 'We're looking forward to working with the National Theatre team on such an extraordinary building. Both the urban fabric and society have evolved since the theatre was completed and so our task will be to keep the fundamental ideas of the NT vivid whilst respecting the 1970's architecture.'

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