Hayward Gallery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hayward Gallery |
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| General information | |
| Type | Gallery |
| Architectural style | Brutalist |
| Town or city | London, SE1 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Opened | 9 July 1968 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Norman Engleback Ron Herron, Warren Chalk and John Attenborough |
| Structural engineer | Ove Arup & Partners |
| Main contractor | Higgs and Hill |
The Hayward Gallery is a famous art gallery in central London, England. It is part of the Southbank Centre, a big area with many arts venues along the River Thames. The gallery is right next to other important buildings like the Royal Festival Hall and the National Theatre.
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About the Hayward Gallery
The Hayward Gallery was built by a company called Higgs and Hill. It first opened its doors on July 9, 1968. The building looks very strong and uses a lot of exposed concrete. This style is known as Brutalist architecture.
The first ideas for the gallery came from a team led by Norman Engleback. Other designers like John Attenborough, Ron Herron, and Warren Chalk also helped. The gallery is named after Sir Isaac Hayward, who was an important leader of the London County Council before the Greater London Council.
What You Can See: Exhibitions
The Hayward Gallery is special because it does not have its own permanent collection of art. Instead, it hosts three or four big temporary art shows each year. These shows feature modern or contemporary art.
From 1968 to 1986, the gallery was managed by the Arts Council of Great Britain. Now, the Southbank Centre manages it. Unlike some other galleries, the Hayward Gallery charges an entry fee for its exhibitions.
The gallery shows all kinds of visual art, from old masters like Leonardo da Vinci to modern artists like Edvard Munch. It often focuses on new art that fits well with the building's strong concrete design. For example, it has shown works by Dan Flavin and Antony Gormley.
The Gallery's Unique Architecture
The gallery was designed to have five main art spaces. These included two levels of indoor galleries and three outdoor sculpture areas. These outdoor areas are big concrete spaces on the upper level. They were meant to show sculptures against the London skyline. However, they were not used much until the Blind Light exhibition by Antony Gormley in 2007.
The two public levels of the gallery are connected by concrete staircases. One of these staircases goes down to street level. The main entrance used to be very small. In 2003, the entrance area was updated with a larger glass front. This new design was created by the Haworth Tompkins architectural firm.
The two upper galleries can use natural light from glass pyramids on their flat roofs. There are also three concrete towers in the middle of the building. These towers hold the lifts and service ducts. For many years, a kinetic light sculpture was on the roof of one of the towers. This sculpture, designed by Philip Vaughan and Roger Dainton, reacted to the wind and was a famous London landmark. It was removed for renovations and not put back.
The walkway above Belvedere Road, which connects to Waterloo Bridge, changes shape to fit the area. This shows how the building's design, even though it looks very strong, actually fits its surroundings well.
Recent Changes and Importance
The Hayward Gallery, along with the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, has been part of discussions about its future. In the 1990s, there was a plan to cover all three buildings with a large glass roof. This idea did not happen due to high costs and opposition from groups like the Twentieth Century Society.
The gallery closed temporarily in September 2015 for two years of renovations. It reopened in early 2018. This work included fixing the building's structure and replacing the glass pyramids on the roof. A false ceiling was also removed, which helped more natural light reach the upper galleries.
In 2011, the Hayward Gallery was added to a special list by the World Monuments Fund. This means it is recognized as an important building that needs to be protected.
Images for kids
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The Hayward Gallery in London.
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A key staircase connecting different levels of the Southbank Centre.
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A staircase on the southern side of the gallery.
