National Gallery names six teams in running for bicentenary revamp

The National Gallery has revealed a six-strong shortlist of design teams picked to proceed to the next stage of its high-profile contest to deliver a suite of capital projects to mark its 200^thbirthday in 2024.

Stirling Prize winners David Chipperfield Architects, Caruso St John and Witherford Watson Mann are joined by Asif Khan, David Kohn Architects and Selldorf Architects for the project, which includes reconfiguring the entrance to Venturi Scott Brown’s grade I-listed Sainsbury Wing. (See box below for full design-team details.)

The National Gallerylaunched its call for entries in Februarywith a brief that also includes upgrading visitor facilities and a new research centre focused on art history, digital humanities, conservation, and heritage science.

Another element of the project involves “reimagining” the public realm outside the Sainsbury Wing and along the northern edge of Trafalgar Square, outside the gallery’s main Wilkins Building.

The project’s anticipated construction budget is £25m to £30m, with the design-team contract worth £3.5m.

画廊总监加布里埃尔·菲纳尔迪说，由于收到了高质量的参赛作品，竞赛候选名单已从预期的五支队伍扩大到六支。

“It was not an easy task to reach the shortlist, but we are confident that we have chosen six teams that will produce a range of different approaches to excite and inspire us,” he said.

“This is a significant moment in the development of the National Gallery as we look forward to the recovery of our arts and cultural institutions, our city and our country.

“It is important that we choose a team who we can work with collaboratively and that shares our vision for the future. I’m looking forward to the next phase of the selection process.”

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竞赛组织者Malcolm Reading Consultants表示，现在，入围的团队将被要求提交一份初步标书，参加谈判研讨会，提交最终标书，然后接受遴选小组的面试。预计将在7月决定任命哪个小组。

Malcolm Reading said no design work would be required as part of the selection process and that shortlisted teams would be eligible for some expenses.