The Royal College of Music in London is located in the cultural quarter of South Kensington, an area crowded with museums, concert halls and academic institutions. The Grade II listed building, designed in the Gothic Revival style by Sir Arthur Blomfield, has been home to the Royal College of Music since 1894. Its original Concert Hall, designed by Sydney R. J. Smith, first opened in 1901, but has now been renamed the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall following the completion of a £5 million refurbishment in 2009. This programme tells the story of the refurbishment, exploring the engineering and architectural challenges of bringing a listed building up to modern concert hall standards without damaging its heritage. It focuses mainly on the improved ventilation, lighting and acoustical designs as well as exploring the enabling and general upgrade works. The programme also places the Royal College of Music in its historical context, exploring the roots of the South Kensington area in the Great Exhibition of 1851.
About the contributors
Nadine Boehm is an associate at Darnton EGS and was project architect for the concert hall restoration project.
Vernon Cole is managing director of acoustic consultancy practice Cole Jarman, the design acousticians for the refurbishment of the concert hall.
Professor Colin Lawson is director of the Royal College of Music.
Susan Sturrock is director of communications at the Royal College of Music.
David Suggitt is director of Darnton EGS, Building Design Consultants and was Director responsible for the concert hall restoration project.
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