Selldorf wins approval for controversial National Gallery plans

Councillors unanimously backed the scheme at a meeting last night (29 November) amid an ongoing row about the proposed alterations to the 1991 Postmodern extension.

The New York-based practice plans to remodel the building’s interior by altering the front gates, ground-floor entrance sequence, stairs and lobby, as well as the removal of pillars and parts of the ceiling.

Its revised plans, submitted last month, seemingly failed to reassure the scheme’s main critics, however, with eight former RIBA presidents calling the updated scheme ‘perhaps even more ill-judged’ than those submitted in August.

Denise Scott Brown – one of the wing’s original architects – fiercely criticised Selldorf’s proposals last weekend, telling the Observer:  ‘There are elements of tragedy – circus clowns are made up to look happy, but they’re not. This is a circus clown wearing a tutu.’

Welcoming the council’s decision, National Gallery director Gabriele Finaldi  said: ‘We are delighted that Westminster City Council agrees with us that this transformation of the gallery’s entrance will improve the experience of visitors to the borough.

‘We look forward to our next steps, and opening up the new Sainsbury Wing entrance, our Supporters’ House, and our Research Centre, at the end of our Bicentenary year.’

The council's planning officers had encouraged the planning committee to approve the scheme, telling them it would provide ‘significant and weighty public benefits’, including improved accessibility and the creation of an ‘inclusive and welcoming’ single main entrance to the gallery.

But the Twentieth Century Society had ‘strongly opposed’ the plans, citing particular concerns about the opening-up of the lower areas. It said the move reduced the ‘intended drama of the carefully orchestrated entrance route’.

The campaign group added in a Twitter statement: ‘The scheme will cause substantial harm to a Grade I-listed building and C20 strongly objected. Has the ‘Second Battle of Trafalgar’ just begun?'

Looking hard at Historic England, who on November 6 decided that the revised Selldorf scheme was just fine so far as they were concerned and withdrew their objection. The case was effectively lost there and then, thanks to the guardians of our heritage. https://t.co/8vj6pyjzk3

— Hugh Pearman (@hughpearman) November 29, 2022

James Timberlake of US-based Kieran Timberlake also expressed anger at the approval, taking to Twitter to say: ‘The lack of appreciation of [Denise Scott Brown’s] plea, and explanation of the thesis behind the organisation, out of a lack of respect by them, is numbing and dumbfounding. They’ve decided to bully-ahead in spite of a major debacle. Ruin upon ruin.’

But Selldorf Architects founder Annabelle Selldorf told the AJ that the reworked scheme kept significantly more fabric of the existing building to create ‘a clearer dialogue with the original building’.

She said: ‘The exchange we have had over the last 18-months with all those who care about the gallery, not just in Westminster, but around the world, is echoed in our plans and its dialogue with the existing buildings.

Selldorf’s plans are a part of the NG200 project to market the National Gallery’s bicentenary year in 2024, which Westminster council's cabinet member for planning, Geoff Barraclough, said would 'ensure that it can offer the best contemporary visitor experience possible.

'The Planning Committee were clearly in agreement that these changes would achieve that aim, while obviously taking the impact to these Grade I listed buildings very seriously,' he told the AJ. 'In the end the compelling public benefits package, including improved accessibility, persuaded them to give this project green light.'