Bennetts' revamped Hampstead Theatre opens

Bennetts Associates has reconfigured its very first theatre project some 20 years after its original sketches were prepared.

The architect was re-hired by the Hampstead Theatre to help it cope with growing audience numbers.

By moving an existing steel staircase and the main doors it has improved access to the under-used basement foyer, increasing the space for audiences before and after performances.

It has also relocated the box office and cloakroom to reduce congestion.

Bennetts was hired 20 years ago to design a new home for the theatre which was founded in a hut 50 years ago with a mission to create original theatre, attracting the likes of Harold Pinter and Mike Leigh.

The building, in Swiss Cottage, north London, was completed 12 years ago but its growing success has made the public areas feel crowded.

The refurbishment was carried out in collaboration with Michael Howells, a film and stage designer at Hampstead Theatre, on the choice of materials, colours and furniture.

The warm finishes and new rosewood panels containing the theatre’s HT monogram were described as a “significant departure from the bold colours of the original interior scheme”.

The Hampstead Theatre was Bennetts’ first theatre. It has gone on to work on the Stirling-shortlisted transformation of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, as well as a string of others in London and the provinces.

Bennetts director Simon Erridge said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to revisit Hampstead Theatre and have enjoyed seeing how the building has fared over the last decade. With such success on stage, the theatre foyer was being used far more intensely than originally envisioned.

“Although only recently completed, we’re delighted to hear that daytime café visitor numbers are up, evening bar sales have increased, and there’s been positive feedback from audiences.”