The History Of The Royal Festival Hall In One Minute

London’s Royal Festival Hall is a multi-functional arts and performance venue which sits on the banks of the River Thames, part of a complex of artistic venues that make up the Southbank Centre— the largest centre for the arts in Europe. The Grade I-listed building is home to the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and hosts an eclectic programme of events year round, including concerts, dance performances and talks. We introduce you to the 65 year history of this, the cultural heart of the capital.
In 1948, Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced the Labour government’s plans for the Festival of Britain, a nationwide exhibition to be held in the summer of 1951. Designed to promote Britain‘s leading contributions to science, technology, industrial design, architecture and the arts, the festival was also intended to serve as a ‘Tonic to the Nation’, raising moral and fostering a sense of recovery following the devastation of World War II. Its centrepiece was to be London’s Southbank— amongst a collection of temporary domes and pavilions for the festival, the Royal Festival Hall was built, restoring once again a major concert hall to the city following the destruction of the Queen’s Hall during the Blitz.

A postcard sent in 1957, showing the Royal Festival Hall

The foundation stone was laid by Mr Attlee in October 1949. Just 18 months and £2 million pounds later, the hall opened, with a ceremonial concert attended by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The principal architect for the project was Robert Matthew, supported by Leslie Martin and Peter Muro — around half of the workers involved in building the hall were Jewish refugees, as pointed out by the current leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, at a recent Royal Festival Hall event. The architects were very keen not to replicate the classicism encapsulated in other public buildings, with their design becoming a true beacon of Modernism. The bright white façade and use of large amounts of glass contributed to the optimistic feel of the building, contrasting it to the dark and muted tones of the surrounding city.

The design of the building was intended to reverberate with a general feeling of inclusivity — the various floors are arranged in a flowing, wide open-plan design around symmetrically placed staircases, with Martin in particular influenced by socialist Nordic design. The various foyers, bars and restaurants were intended as classless spaces, open to all, honoured today by the building’s radical ‘open foyer’ policy which allows the public to roam throughout the building all day, seven days a week. Free exhibitions, lunchtime and evening concerts, various study and meeting spaces and a variety of bars are on offer.

Concreate pathways connecting the Southbank Centre’s buildings

In 2005 the hall underwent an extensive program of renovation costing around £91 million, reopening to the public in 2007, whilst several shopping and dining venues have opened along this stretch of the Thames, further cementing its status as a thriving cultural hub.

Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX, +44 (0)20 7960 4200

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.