You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:

This IP address has been blocked from editing Wikipedia.
This does not affect your ability to read Wikipedia pages.
Most people who see this message have done nothing wrong. Some kinds of blocks restrict editing from specific service providers or telecom companies in response to recent abuse or vandalism, and can sometimes affect other users who are unrelated to that abuse. Review the information below for assistance if you do not believe that you have done anything wrong.

The IP address or range 44.204.0.0/16 has been blocked (disabled) by ‪ST47‬ for the following reason(s):

The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be a web host provider. To prevent abuse, web hosts may be blocked from editing Wikipedia.
You will not be able to edit Wikipedia using a web host provider because it hides your IP address, much like a proxy or VPN.
We recommend that you attempt to use another connection to edit. For example, if you use a proxy or VPN to connect to the internet, turn it off when editing Wikipedia. If you edit using a mobile connection, try using a Wi-Fi connection, and vice versa. If you are using a corporate internet connection, switch to a different Wi-Fi network. If you have a Wikipedia account, please log in.
If you do not have any other way to edit Wikipedia, you will need to request an IP block exemption.

How to appeal if you are confident that your connection does not use a web host's IP address:
If you are confident that you are not using a web host, you may appeal this block by adding the following text on your talk page: ((unblock|reason=Caught by a web host block but this host or IP is not a web host. My IP address is _______. Place any further information here. ~~~~)). You must fill in the blank with your IP address for this block to be investigated. Your IP address can be determined here. Alternatively, if you wish to keep your IP address private you can use the unblock ticket request system. There are several reasons you might be editing using the IP address of a web host (such as if you are using VPN software or a business network); please use this method of appeal only if you think your IP address is in fact not a web host.

Administrators: The IP block exemption user right should only be applied to allow users to edit using web host in exceptional circumstances, and they should usually be directed to the functionaries team via email. If you intend to give the IPBE user right, a CheckUser needs to take a look at the account. This can be requested most easily at SPI Quick Checkuser Requests. Unblocking an IP or IP range with this template is highly discouraged without at least contacting the blocking administrator.

This block will expire on 20:46, 23 August 2024.

Even when blocked, you will usually still be able to edit your user talk page, as well as email administrators and other editors.

For information on how to proceed, please read the FAQ for blocked users and the guideline on block appeals. The guide to appealing blocks may also be helpful.

Other useful links: Blocking policy · Help:I have been blocked
Your IP address is in a range that has been blocked on all Wikimedia Foundation wikis. The block was made by ‪AntiCompositeNumber‬. The reason given is Open proxy/Webhost: Visit the FAQ if you are affected .
- Start of block: 13:55, 18 August 2022
- Expiry of block: 13:55, 18 June 2025
Your current IP address is 44.204.231.163. The blocked range is 44.204.0.0/16. Please include all above details in any queries you make. If you believe you were blocked by mistake, you can find additional information and instructions in the No open proxies global policy. Otherwise, to discuss the block please post a request for review on Meta-Wiki. You could also send an email to the stewards VRT queue at stewards@wikimedia.org including all above details.

You can view and copy the source of this page:

((Short description|Multi-purpose venue in London, England))
((Use dmy dates|date=March 2023))
((Use British English|date=June 2013))
((Infobox building
| name                 = Royal Festival Hall
| image                = Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road (1).jpg
| alt                  =
| caption              = The Royal Festival Hall from the [[Victoria Embankment]]
| altitude             = 
| building_type        = [[List of concert halls|Concert hall]]
| architectural_style  = [[Modern architecture|Modernist]]
| structural_system    = 
| cost                 = [[Pound sterling|£]]2 million (1951)
| ren_cost             = [[Pound sterling|£]]111 million (2007)
| client               = [[London County Council]]
| owner                = [[London County Council]] (1951–1965)<br/>[[Greater London Council]] (1965–1986)<br/>[[Arts Council of Great Britain|Arts Council]] (1986–1988)<br/>[[Southbank Centre|Southbank Centre Limited]] (1988–present)
| current_tenants      = 
| landlord             = 
| address              = Belvedere Road<br/>[[London]], ((postcode|SE|1))<br />England
| location_country     =
| coordinates          = ((coord|51|30|21.01|N|00|07|00.44|W|region:GB|display=inline))
| start_date           = 1948 (18 months to complete)
| completion_date      =
| inauguration_date    = 3 May 1951
| renovation_date      = 2005–2007
| height               = 
| diameter             = 	
| other_dimensions     = 	
| floor_count          = 	
| floor_area           = 	
| main_contractor      = [[Holland, Hannen & Cubitts]]
| architect            = [[Robert Matthew]] and [[Leslie Martin]]
| architecture_firm    =
| structural_engineer  = 
| services_engineer    = 
| civil_engineer       = 
| other_designers      = [[Robin Day (designer)|Robin Day]] (furniture including surviving auditorium seating)
| quantity_surveyor    = 
| awards               = 
| website =  [https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/venues/royal-festival-hall? southbankcentre.co.uk]
| references           = 
))

The '''Royal Festival Hall''' is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within [[Southbank Centre]] in [[London]], England. It is situated on the [[South Bank]] of the [[River Thames]], not far from [[Hungerford Bridge]], in the [[London Borough of Lambeth]]. It is a Grade I [[listed building]], the first post-war building to become so protected (in 1981).<ref>((cite book| last=McKean| first=John| title=Architecture in Detail: Royal Festival Hall| year=2001| publisher=Phaidon Press Ltd| location=New York| isbn=978-0-7148-4160-1))</ref> The [[London Philharmonic Orchestra]], the [[Philharmonia Orchestra]], the [[Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment]], the [[London Sinfonietta]], [[Chineke!]] and [[Aurora Orchestra|Aurora]] are resident orchestras at Southbank Centre.<ref>((cite web| title=Resident Orchestras & Artists in Residence| url=http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/about-us/resident-orchestras-and-associate-artists| work=Southbank Centre| access-date=29 July 2013))</ref>

The hall was built as part of the [[Festival of Britain]] for [[London County Council]], and was officially opened on 3 May 1951.<ref>((Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2011/may/04/royal-festival-hall-dedicated-1951 |title=Festival Hall scene of grace and dignity |date=1951-05-03 |work=Manchester Guardian |access-date=2018-05-01 |language=en))</ref> When the LCC's successor, the [[Greater London Council]], was abolished in 1986, the Festival Hall was taken over by the [[Arts Council]], and managed together with the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]] and [[Purcell Room]] (opened 1967) and the [[Hayward Gallery]] (1968), eventually becoming an independent arts organisation, now known as the [[Southbank Centre]], in April 1998.<ref>((cite web| title=Southbank Centre History| url=http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/about-us/history-and-archive/southbank-centre-history| publisher=Southbank Centre| access-date=29 July 2013))</ref>

The complex includes several reception rooms, bars and restaurants, and the [[Clore Ballroom]], accommodating up to 440 for a seated dinner.<ref>[http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/sites/default/files/documents/clore_ballroom_factsheet.pdf Southbank Centre's factsheet on the Clore Ballroom] ((webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808061810/http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/sites/default/files/documents/clore_ballroom_factsheet.pdf |date=8 August 2014 ))</ref> A large head and shoulders bust of [[Nelson Mandela]] (by [[Ian Walters]], created in 1985) stands on the walkway between the hall and [[Hungerford Bridge]] approach viaduct. Originally made in glass-fibre it was repeatedly vandalised until re-cast in bronze.((citation needed|date=March 2019))

The complex's variety of open spaces and foyers are popular for social or work-related meetings.

The closest [[London Underground|tube]] stations are ((Lus|Waterloo)) and, across the river via the Jubilee Bridges, ((Lus|Embankment)) and ((Lus|Charing Cross)).

== The original building ==
[[File:London downstream from Westminster Pier geograph-3071087-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|alt=View downstream from Westminster Pier, 1958|thumb|right|View to the south from Westminster Pier, 1958]]

The Festival Hall project was led by [[London County Council]]'s chief architect, [[Robert Matthew]], who gathered around him a young team of talented designers including [[Leslie Martin]], who was eventually to lead the project with Edwin Williams<ref>((cite web| title=Edwin Williams| url=http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=205350| work=[[Dictionary of Scottish Architects]]| access-date=2017-08-15))</ref> and [[Peter Moro]], along with the furniture designer [[Robin Day (designer)|Robin Day]] and his wife, the [[textile designer]] [[Lucienne Day]]. The acoustical consultant was [[Hope Bagenal]], working with members of the [[Building Research Station]]; Henry Humphreys, Peter Parkin and William Allen.<ref name=":6">((cite book| last=Beranek| first=Leo| title=Music, Acoustics and Architecture| url=https://archive.org/details/musicacousticsar0000bera| url-access=registration| year=1962| publisher=Wiley))</ref> Martin was 39 at the time, and very taken with the Nordic activities of [[Alvar Aalto]] and [[Gunnar Asplund]].<ref name=":4">((cite news| last=Bayley| first=Stephen| title=Now the South Bank's fit for a festival again| url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2007/may/20/architecture.communities| access-date=30 July 2013| newspaper=[[The Observer]]| date=20 May 2007))</ref>

The figure who really drove the project forward was [[Herbert Morrison]], the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] politician. It was he who had insisted that Matthew had Martin as his deputy architect, treating the Festival Hall as a special project.<ref>((cite journal| last=Spens| first=Michael| title=The Egg in a Box| journal=Studio International| date=13 June 2007| url=http://www.studiointernational.com/index.php/the-egg-in-a-box| access-date=30 July 2013))</ref>

===Architecture===
A 1948 sketch by Martin shows the design of the concert hall as the egg in a box. But the strength of the design was the arrangement of interior space: the central staircase has a ceremonial feel and moves elegantly through the different levels of light and air.<ref name=":4" />

They were concerned that whilst the scale of the project demanded a monumental building, it should not ape the triumphal classicism of many earlier public buildings. The wide open foyers, with bars and restaurants, were intended to be meeting places for all: there were to be no separate bars for different classes of patron. Because these public spaces were built around the auditorium, they also had the effect of insulating the Hall from the noise of the adjacent railway bridge.<ref name=":5">((cite journal| last=Goodfellow| first=Natasha| title=Royal Festival Hall: a building to lift the spirits| journal=Homes & Antiques| year=2008| url=http://www.homesandantiques.com/feature/royal-festival-hall-building-lift-spirits| access-date=30 July 2013))</ref>

To quote Leslie Martin, "The suspended auditorium provides the building with its major attributes: the great sense of space that is opened out within the building, the flowing circulation from the symmetrically placed staircases and galleries that became known as the 'egg in the box'."<ref>((cite book| last=Martin| first=Leslie| title=Buildings and Ideas: From the Studio of Leslie Martin and his Associates| year=1983| publisher=Cambridge University Press| location=Cambridge| isbn=978-0521231077))</ref>

The hall they built used modernism's favourite material, reinforced concrete, alongside more luxurious elements including beautiful woods and [[Derbyshire]] fossilised limestone.<ref name=":5" /> The exterior of the building was bright white, intended to contrast with the blackened city surrounding it. Large areas of glass on its façade meant that light coursed freely throughout the interior, and at night, the glass let the light from inside flood out onto the river, in contrast to the darkness which befell the rest of London after dusk.<ref>((cite web| title=Royal Festival Hall| url=http://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/heritage/royal-festival-hall| work=From Here to Modernity| publisher=Open University| access-date=30 July 2013))</ref>

The hall originally seated 2,901. The [[cantilever]]ed boxes are often described as looking like drawers pulled out in a hurried burglary, but none has a compromised sightline. The ceiling was wilfully sculptural, a conceit at the very edge of building technology and, as it turns out, way beyond the contemporary understanding of acoustics.<ref name=":4" /> [[Robin Day (designer)|Robin Day]], who designed the furniture for the auditorium, used a clearly articulated structure in his designs of bent plywood and steel.<ref name=":5" />

The original building had lushly planted roof terraces; the Level Two foyer café had been able to spill out onto the terraces looking out on the river, and original entrances were positioned on the sides of the building, enabling visitors to arrive directly at the stairs leading to the auditorium.

The foundation stone was laid in 1949 by Prime Minister [[Clement Attlee]] on the site of the former Lion Brewery, built in 1837.<ref name=":0">((cite news| title=London's new concert hall takes shape| url=https://www.theguardian.com/fromthearchive/story/0,12269,1591006,00.html| work=[[The Guardian]]| date=3 October 1949| access-date=2017-08-15))</ref> The building was constructed by [[Holland, Hannen & Cubitts]]<ref name=":1">Cubitts 1810 – 1975, published 1975</ref> at a cost of £2 million and officially opened on 3 May 1951 with a gala concert attended by King [[George VI]] and [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen Elizabeth]], conducted by Sir [[Malcolm Sargent]] and Sir [[Adrian Boult]].<ref name=":2">''The Times,''  21 November 1950, p. 6</ref> The first general manager was T. E. Bean, who had previously managed the [[Hallé Orchestra]].

"I was overwhelmed by a shock of breathless delight at the originality and beauty of the interior. It felt as if I had been instantly transported far into the future and that I was on another planet," said journalist [[Bernard Levin]] of his first impressions of the building.<ref name=":5" />

[[File:Royal_Festival_Hall_and_Shot_Tower_c1959.jpg|thumb|right|Royal Festival Hall and [[Shot Tower, Lambeth|Shot Tower]], 1959]]

===Organ===
The 7,866 [[pipe organ]] was built during 1950–1954 by [[Harrison & Harrison]] in [[Durham, England|Durham]], to the specification of the [[London County Council]]'s consultant, [[Ralph Downes]], who also supervised the tonal finishing. It was designed as a well-balanced classical instrument embracing a number of rich and varied ensembles which alone or in combination could equal the dynamic scale of any orchestra or choral grouping, in addition to coping with the entire solo repertoire.<ref name=":7">((cite web| title=Royal Festival Hall Organ| url=http://www.harrisonorgans.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ROYAL-FESTIVAL-HALL-Full-Spec.pdf| publisher=Harrison & Harrison| access-date=30 July 2013))</ref>

The design principles enshrined in its construction gave rise to a whole new school of organ building, known as the English [[Organ Reform Movement]], influencing in the UK alone the cathedral organs of [[Coventry Cathedral|Coventry]] and [[Blackburn Cathedral|Blackburn]] and the concert hall organs of the [[Fairfield Halls]], [[Croydon]], and the [[Bridgewater Hall]], [[Manchester]]: there are also innumerable organs in other countries which have been influenced by it.<ref>((cite web| title=Pull Out All the Stops festival| url=http://www.pulloutallthestops.org/organ/| publisher=Southbank Centre| access-date=30 July 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629130837/http://www.pulloutallthestops.org/organ/| archive-date=29 June 2013))</ref>

However, the design of the organ in its housing made maintenance difficult, and by 2000 it had become unusable. It was consequently completely removed before restoration of the Hall itself began in 2005, and after restoration and updating by Harrison & Harrison, a third of the organ was reinstalled. The remainder was reinstalled between 2012 and 2013, and voicing completed in 2014.<ref>((cite web| title=History of the renovation| url=http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/pull-out-all-the-stops-the-history-of-the-organ| publisher=Southbank Centre| access-date=30 March 2014))</ref>

===Acoustics===
The Festival Hall was one of the first concert halls in the world to be built using the application of scientific principles, both theoretical and experimental. Hope Bagenal and his colleagues from the [[Building Research Station]] formed an integral part of the design team. The acoustic behaviour of the seats was measured and tested in a laboratory to enable more exacting design. Careful consideration of external noise problems was undertaken.

Following the opening of the hall, there was some criticism of certain aspects of the acoustics. This was partially attributable to the fact that some of the original specifications for room surfaces determined by the acoustic consultants were ignored in the building process. A specific problem for performers was the difficulty of hearing each other on the platform. Both the angled 'blast' side walls and the plywood reflectors projected sound away from the stage.<ref>((cite web| title=Royal Festival Hall| url=http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/acoustics_info/concert_hall_acoustics/?content=rfs| work=Concert Hall Acoustics: Art and Science| publisher=University of Salford| access-date=30 July 2013| archive-date=20 March 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320103602/https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Roboto%3A300%2C400%2C500%2C700%7CRoboto+Slab%3A400%2C700&subset=latin%2Clatin-ext&ver=3.0.1| url-status=live))</ref>

The general consensus was that the hall was 'too dry', not reverberant enough, particularly at low frequencies, and that the bass tone was weak. The definition was 'excellent' for chamber and modern music, but the hall was not as effective for music of the late [[Classical period (music)|Classical]] or [[Romantic Music|Romantic]] period. [[Sir John Barbirolli]] commented, "Everything is sharp and clear and there is no impact, no fullness on the climaxes."<ref name=":6" />
[[File:Royal Festival Hall (37366103611).jpg|thumb|center|800px|Hall Interior]]

===Heating systems===

A [[water source heat pump]] was used to heat the building in the winter and cool the building in the summer.<ref>((cite journal| title=Rolls-Royce performance| date=3 May 2001| url=http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/home/rolls-royce-performance/181204.article| journal=[[Architects' Journal]]))</ref> Water was extracted from the [[River Thames]] below [[Hungerford Bridge]] using a [[centrifugal pump]]. Heat was extracted from the river water using a heat pump. The compressors were driven by two [[Rolls-Royce Merlin]] engines, adapted to run on [[town gas]]. It was highly successful, providing both heating and cooling for the Hall, but over-sized, and was sold off after the Festival of Britain.<ref>((cite web| title=Ground & Water Source Heat Pumps – Royal Festival Hall| first=Dave| last=Andrews| date=25 March 2014| url=http://www.claverton-energy.com/introduction-to-thermogeology.html| publisher=Claverton Energy Research Group))</ref>

==The 1964 alterations==
As a structure, the new Festival Hall was technically stretched, and maintenance was soon required. The building was substantially altered in 1964 by adding the foyers and terraces to the river side of the building, extending the footprint by 30&nbsp;ft, and more dressing rooms to the rear. Alterations to the façades overlooking the river removed the decorative tiles, altering the Scandinavian Modernism of the building's primary public face in favour of a plainer and hard-edged style.((citation needed|date=March 2019)) The building's original entrance sequence was much compromised by these changes and the later additions of raised concrete walkways around the building to serve the neighbouring [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]], Purcell Room and The Hayward, built in 1967/8.

===Assisted resonance===
[[Leo Beranek]], an American [[acoustics]] engineer who had undertaken measurements of all of the world's leading [[concert halls]], had identified that the interior treatment of the auditorium was absorbing too much sound.<ref>((cite web| last=Purcell| first=Jack| title=Dr. Leo Beranek| url=http://www.aip.org/history/ohilist/5191.html| work=Oral History Transcript| publisher=American Institute of Physics| access-date=30 July 2013))</ref> By 1962 the authorities, after prolonged experiment, had become convinced that no improvement in the hall's [[reverberation]] could be achieved by any further treatment of its surfaces. Longer reverberation would require modification to the main structure, reducing the [[seating capacity]] and the provision of a new ceiling. This was considered too costly, particularly as any hypothetical gain in 'warmth' or 'resonance' might well be by the sacrifice of other positive qualities for which the Hall was generally esteemed, for example, its clarity, its comparative uniformity of acoustic response and its freedom from echo.<ref>((cite journal| title=Acoustic Treatment of the Royal Festival Hall| journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Electronic and Radio Engineers| date=May–July 1964| volume=2| issue=3| page=64| doi=10.1049/piere.1964.0008))</ref>

It was known that the ancient Greeks had developed the technique of using vases built into their auditoria which added resonance to strengthen tone or improve its quality, though the effect was very weak. The [[Building Research Station]] developed an electronic method of lengthening the reverberation time by a system called 'assisted resonance' in which some of the acoustical energy lost to the surfaces of the hall was replaced by acoustical energy supplied by a loudspeaker. Each microphone and its associated loudspeaker was limited to the one frequency by placing the microphone inside a [[Helmholtz resonator]] fitted into the ceiling in a range of sizes which resonated over a wide range of the low frequencies which critics and musicians thought did not adequately reverberate in the hall. 172 channels were used to cover a frequency range of 58&nbsp;Hz to 700&nbsp;Hz, increasing reverberation time from 1.4 to 2.5 s in the 125&nbsp;Hz octave band.<ref>((cite journal| last=Parkin| first=P.H.| author2=K. Morgan| title='Assisted resonance' in the Royal Festival Hall, London, 1965–1969| journal=J. Acoust. Soc. Am.| year=1970| volume=48| issue=5 Pt. 1| pages=1025–1035| doi=10.1121/1.1912240| bibcode=1970ASAJ...48.1025P))</ref> However, the system never fully solved the problem, and as it aged it became unreliable, occasionally emitting odd sounds during performances. It was switched off in 1998, which returned the acoustics to their poor state, so bad that they make performers who play in it "lose the will to live", according to Sir Simon Rattle.<ref>((cite news| last=Service| first=Tom| title=Simon Rattle: Baton charge| access-date=30 July 2013| newspaper=The Guardian| date=15 February 2011| url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/feb/15/simon-rattle-berlin-philharmonic))</ref>

==The 2007 renovation==
((more citations needed|section|date=April 2019))
[[File:Royal Festival Hall as seen from outside the Hayward Gallery.jpg|thumb|right|Royal Festival Hall's southern side]]
The building underwent a substantial renovation between 2005 and 2007 aimed at improving the poor acoustics and building layout, led by architect [[Diane Haigh]]<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/sep/05/diane-haigh-obituary|title=Diane Haigh obituary|work=[[The Guardian]]|first=Peter|last=Carolin|date=6 September 2022|accessdate=12 January 2023))</ref> of [[Allies and Morrison]] with consulting engineer firms Max Fordham LLP (M&E) and Price & Myers (structural).<ref>((cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Royal Festival Hall Refurbishment |url=http://www.ajbuildingslibrary.co.uk/projects/display/id/229 |newspaper=The Architects' Journal |date=2007 |access-date=4 August 2014))</ref> The interior of the concert hall space was almost entirely intact until this re-modelling, which saw its stage canopy and walls rebuilt in plainer more rectangular forms. Seating was reduced slightly to 2,788, including the choir seating. This was carried out in the face of opposition from conservationists, led by the [[Twentieth Century Society]].

On the advice of acoustics firm, [[Kirkegaard Associates]], the lack of reverberation and the difficult performance conditions for musicians were corrected by changes in the fabric of the auditorium. Surfaces that had previously absorbed sound were transformed to support and sustain that sound. The tapestries on the back walls of the boxes were gathered up to increase reverberation, but can be redeployed, together with additional absorbent blinds above the stage and around the Hall whenever needed. The wooden wall panels of the Hall were relined to change their acoustic qualities and the undulating plaster ceiling panels were completely reconstructed using more robust materials to provide greater warmth of sound and support for bass frequencies.

New adjustable acoustic canopies were placed over the stage's width to allow bass frequencies to resonate in the space above the stage, and for treble frequencies to be reflected back to improve feedback to performers. The stage was reconfigured to provide more space for performers, and the arrangement of walls around the stage was altered significantly. The original Robin Day designed seats were restored and reupholstered to make them more comfortable, and more acoustically appropriate.<ref>((cite web| last=Kirkegaard| first=Larry| title=Why we have changed the acoustics in the Royal Festival Hall| url=http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/sites/default/files/documents/rfh_acoustics.pdf| publisher=Southbank Centre| access-date=30 July 2013))</ref>

The major refurbishment presented an opportunity to add to the infrastructure of the venue to make the process of 'get-in' and 'get-out' in a single day easier, and to add to the flexibility of the venue. Theatre consultants Carr & Angier worked with [[ISG Ltd|ISG]] Interior Exterior and Stage Technologies to create a new working space over the stage area with four large movable lighting bridges, capable of load sharing to lift large touring productions without the need for custom [[rigging]]. Delstar Engineering supplied eleven lifts to form the stage platform. These allow the stage layout to be reconfigured in many ways to suit the nature of the performance taking place. The choir benches can now be wheeled out to provide a level floor for staged and dance performances. The space between seat rows has been extended by 75mm by rebuilding the concrete floor of the stalls, with a loss of only 118 seats. Cooling has been introduced by reversing the airflow in the auditorium.<ref>((cite journal| title=Stage Technologies' Technical Transformation at London's Royal Festival Hall| journal=Entertainment Technology| date=Spring 2008| url=http://www.stagetech.com/sites/default/files/royal%20festival%20hall%20ETNow.pdf| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001092959/http://www.stagetech.com/sites/default/files/royal%20festival%20hall%20ETNow.pdf| archive-date=1 October 2015))</ref>

During the 2000s a building comprising seven commercial units was erected opposite the western side of the hall, with many of the Southbank administrative offices above. Shops and restaurants were added along the river frontage.

The venue officially reopened to the public in June 2007. The refurbishment was estimated to have cost in the region of £91 million.<ref name=":3">((Cite web |url=http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/assets/0BF47CFB-9DBF-8C3B-286D2A571DCD7841.pdf |title="Royal Festival Hall Reopens Next Summer", The Southbank Centre, December 2006 |access-date=24 April 2007 |archive-date=8 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070308125815/http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/assets/0BF47CFB-9DBF-8C3B-286D2A571DCD7841.pdf |url-status=live ))</ref> A film documenting the refurbishment, entitled ''This Is Tomorrow'', was directed by [[Paul Kelly (film maker)|Paul Kelly]] and produced by Andrew Hinton.

===Organ refurbishment===
The organ has been reconfigured to suit the new architectural and acoustic requirements: its depth has been reduced by 110&nbsp;cm, but the basic principles of the layout have been respected.<ref name=":7" />

Following a successful campaign to raise £2.3 million for a full restoration and reinstallation of the organ, the original organ builders, [[Harrison & Harrison]], finally completed the reinstallation on 29 August 2013. Further work including re-balancing the pipework followed and was completed in time for the re-inauguration of the organ on 18 March 2014, exactly 60 years since it was first inaugurated. The first orchestral and organ concert was on 26 March 2014 and was recorded for the London Philharmonic Orchestra's own live label.<ref>((cite web| title=CD: Poulenc & Saint-Saëns organ works| url=http://www.lpo.org.uk/recordings-and-gifts/search-recordings/4283-cd-poulenc-saintsaens-organ-works.html| access-date=2017-08-15| publisher=London Philharmonic Orchestra))</ref> The organ remains the third largest organ in Great Britain by number of pipes, with 7,866 pipes and 103 speaking stops.((citation needed|date=March 2019))

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:15-11-05 35 Thames.jpg|The Royal Festival Hall undergoing restoration work, July 2005
File:Royal_Festival_Hall_(1).jpg| Seen from the [[River Thames]], October 2010
File:Royalfestivalhall.jpg|Seen from the [[Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges|Golden Jubilee Bridge]], during reopening celebrations in June 2007
File:Southbank Centre aerial photo.jpg| Southbank Centre aerial view (Royal Festival Hall in Centre), July 2007
File:Royal Festival Hall terrace activity.jpg| Royal Festival Hall terraces, February 2008
File:Royal Festival Hall - geograph.org.uk - 912488.jpg| Westerly corner showing riverside facade, August 2008
File:Royal Festival Hall, London - geograph.org.uk - 1598962.jpg| North-western facade at night with the [[London Eye]] and [[Palace of Westminster]] upriver, November 2009
File:The Royal Festival Hall - South Bank - geograph.org.uk - 1091082.jpg| North-western facade at dusk with the [[London Eye]] and [[Palace of Westminster]], October 2008
File:Royal Festival Hall (1951), London - geograph.org.uk - 1752283.jpg| Rear facade at night seen from Concert Hall Approach, March 2010
File:Event Horizon, RFH and London Eye - geograph.org.uk - 452991.jpg| Rear facade from the [[Hayward Gallery]] during restoration, May 2007
File:Skylights by the Royal Festival Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1651122.jpg| Illuminations over Festival Terrace, January 2010
File:Southbank Centre.jpg| Illuminations over Festival Terrace, December 2010
File:The concert hall at the Royal Festival Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1575927.jpg| Inside the Concert Hall, November 2009
File:Londres 160..jpg| Royal Festival Hall (bottom left) from the [[London Eye]], July 2008
File:Royalfestivalhallfountains.jpg| Walking through the Appearing Rooms fountain installation, by Danish artist [[Jeppe Hein]], outside the RFH during reopening celebrations after 2007 refurbishment.
</gallery>

==Footnotes==
((Reflist))

== External links ==
*((commons category-inline|Royal Festival Hall))
* [http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk Southbank Centre website] – ''bookings for RFH, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, and The Hayward''.

((coord|51|30|21.01|N|00|07|00.44|W|type:landmark_scale:3000|display=title))

((S-start))
((Succession box|
  title=[[Eurovision Song Contest]] <br/>Venue|
  before=[[Palais des Festivals et des Congrès]]<br>[[Cannes]]|
  after=[[Palais des Festivals et des Congrès]]<br>[[Cannes]]|
  years=[[Eurovision Song Contest 1960|1960]]
))
((S-end))

((LB Lambeth))
((London landmarks))
((Eurovision Song Contest))
((Authority control))

[[Category:Royal Festival Hall| ]]
[[Category:Concert halls in London]]
[[Category:Music venues in London]]
[[Category:Southbank Centre]]
[[Category:Festival of Britain]]
[[Category:History of the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:Grade I listed concert halls]]
[[Category:Music venues completed in 1951]]
[[Category:1951 establishments in England]]
[[Category:1950s in London]]
[[Category:Modernist architecture in London]]
[[Category:World's fair architecture in London]]

Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page (help):

Royal Festival Hall (edit)
Template:!(( (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:))! (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Ambox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Authority control (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Both (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Template:Citation needed (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite book (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite journal (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite news (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite web (view source) (protected)
Template:Commons category-inline (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Coord (view source) (protected)
Template:DMCA (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Dated maintenance category (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Dated maintenance category (articles) (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Delink (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Delink question hyphen-minus (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Esccnty (view source) (extended confirmed protected)
Template:Escyr (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Eurovision Song Contest (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:FULLROOTPAGENAME (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Fix (view source) (protected)
Template:Fix/category (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:HMS (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Has short description (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Hlist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Icon (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:If empty (view source) (protected)
Template:Infobox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Infobox building (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:LB Lambeth (edit)
Template:Lang (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:London landmarks (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Lus (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Main other (view source) (protected)
Template:More citations needed (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Ns has subpages (view source) (protected)
Template:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Template:Postcode (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Rail-interchange (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Reflist (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Rint (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:S-aft (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:S-aft/check (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:S-aft/filter (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:S-bef (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:S-bef/check (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:S-bef/filter (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:S-end (view source) (protected)
Template:S-start (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:S-ttl (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:S-ttl/check (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:SDcat (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Ship (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Ship/maintenancecategory (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Short description (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description/lowercasecheck (view source) (protected)
Template:Sister-inline (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Sp (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Succession box (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Succession box/check (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Template other (view source) (protected)
Template:Tubestation (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Use British English (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Use dmy dates (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Webarchive (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Yesno (view source) (protected)
Module:Arguments (view source) (protected)
Module:Authority control (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Authority control/auxiliary (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Authority control/config (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/blacklist (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/shared (view source) (protected)
Module:Check for unknown parameters (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1 (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/COinS (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Date validation (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Whitelist (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Commons link (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Coordinates (view source) (protected)
Module:Coordinates/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Delink (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Disambiguation (view source) (protected)
Module:Disambiguation/templates (view source) (protected)
Module:EditAtWikidata (view source) (protected)
Module:Find sources (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/config (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/links (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/templates/Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:GetParameters (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Icon (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Icon/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:If empty (view source) (protected)
Module:Infobox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Infobox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:InfoboxImage (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Infobox mapframe (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Lang (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Lang/ISO 639 synonyms (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Lang/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana languages (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana regions (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana scripts (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana suppressed scripts (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Language/data/iana variants (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Mapframe (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Math (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/ambox.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:MultiReplace (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Namespace detect/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/configuration (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Ns has subpages (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Redirect (view source) (protected)
Module:SDcat (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:String (view source) (protected)
Module:String2 (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Unicode data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Unsubst (view source) (protected)
Module:Webarchive (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Webarchive/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Yesno (view source) (protected)

Return to Royal Festival Hall.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Festival_Hall"