黑洞社区

The RIBA is to launch a design competition for the redevelopment of its grade II* art deco headquarters in central London.

The 87-year-old building at 66 Portland Place is 鈥渢ired鈥� and inaccessible and needs to be brought up to modern standards, new president Simon Allford told his first meeting of the governing council yesterday.

Allford, who succeeded Alan Jones a month ago, outlined a vision that included creating three new galleries aimed at public, profession and policymakers, as well as upgraded office space.

The building must also be made accessible to people with disabilities and brought in line with zero carbon targets, said the AHMM director who pledged in his election campaign to make Portland Place a 鈥淗ouse of Architecture鈥�.

鈥淚t must be exemplary. This is a classic retrofit project,鈥� he said, noting that most council members were wearing coats because the windows of the Florence Hall had been flung open to allow covid-compliant cross-ventilation.

鈥淭he brief is not formed yet and we would like to bring in a design team to stress test it. Whatever we do to the building it has got to be flexible for another 90 years.

鈥淲ho better to work for us than an architecture practice or combination of practices that we have chosen through an architectural competition run by the RIBA?鈥�

The redevelopment would be part of a wider rationalisation of the institute鈥檚 property portfolio which will include ditching neighbouring 76 Portland Place. This was acquired from the Institute of Physics in 2014 to provide more suitable office space for the RIBA鈥檚 staff. It also contained incubator space for micro-practices.

Theis & Khan won the competition to design the 拢2.89m fit-out which was completed in 2015.

But it has remained closed since the start of the pandemic and is now 鈥渟urplus to requirements鈥�, said chief executive Alan Vallance. He said 89% of staff want to continue working from home half the week.

He said the RIBA has begun a major staff restructure and last week began a consultation on job losses.

But the institute wants to recruit a 鈥渨orld-class鈥� director of programming to oversee the three new gallery spaces 鈥� as well as hybrid events around the country.

One of these galleries would be aimed at architects while the second would be a place where schoolchildren could be inspired to become architects and then learn how to find a work experience placement, said Allford.

鈥淭he third would be the 鈥榩ublic affairs鈥� or 鈥榢ey issues we face today鈥� gallery,鈥� he added. 鈥淚f the government is wondering about reforming the planning system, we should be putting together exhibitions and informative seminars on the planning system.鈥�