The work to the front of house does not aim to return the building to its original state, but introduces more intense colours and discrete interventions—such as the new bar—to raise the intensity of the interior and to match the spirit of the lost detail. The new extension at the rear of the listed building has a festive and unified spirit like the Rowse building. A wide corner window, an extravagant marquee, bold posters and signage lend an urban quality to the new venue, projecting the dynamism of the Philharmonic’s programme to the surrounding city.

The project was approached as three interrelated parts. In the front of house, the existing public rooms were lightly restored; discreet interventions addressed functional shortcomings and refreshed the interiors of the Hall. The auditorium and stage areas required more substantial measures to tackle inadequacies; stage machinery, house and production lighting, and environmental services were completely replaced within the existing interior architecture. The backstage facilities, offices, and second performance space were the most radically changed; an existing rear extension was replaced with a larger new building.

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