Property Services Agency: National Gallery; Hampton Site extension competition entries

CM 66

1982

The series contains entries for the architectural competition in 1982 to choose a design for the proposed extension to the National Gallery on the Hampton site at Trafalgar Square.

Public Record(s)

English

files and photographs

Records not yet transferred

Department for Communities and Local Government

Topics

Museums and galleries

Property Services Agency 1982-1992; Department of Environment 1992-1996; Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions 1997-2001; Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions 2001-2002; Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 2002-2006; Department for Communities and Local Government 2006-.

No further accruals expected.

The 48 entries which survived the initial sift (the competition attracted 79 entries by various architects) have been recommended for retention as have a set of notes on the competition.

In 1982 it was proposed to build an extension to the National Gallery on the Hampton site to the west of the main building, so-called because the Hampton Department Store had stood on there until destroyed by enemy action in the Second World War. A competition was held to find a suitable design and just under 50 designs were given a full consideration.

The winning entry proved to be a controversial choice (described by The Prince of Wales as a 'monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend') and was eventually rejected, causing another competition to be held in 1985.