Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery, which opened in October 2015, has been awarded the 2016 RIBA Stirling Prize, for the UK’s best new building.
The building was designed by Caruso-St John architects, who have been shortlisted for the award twice before. For the gallery, they renovated three listed Victorian warehouses -formerly carpentry and scenery painting workshops for West End theatres, and extended them with two new structures.
The new additions have a specially-created hard pale red brick finish to closely reference the original buildings, while a huge LED panel on the railway facade encourages passing train commuters to visit.
RIBA President Jane Duncan said:
‘With Newport Street Gallery, Damien Hirst has made an exceptional contribution to the UK’s strong history of private patronage of architecture. Not only has Damien opened up his enviable private art collection to the world, but he has commissioned a real work of art to house it in.
The judges commented: ‘The gallery, which is free of charge, is a generous asset to an evolving community.’
Newport Street Gallery celebrates it’s first birthday this week which is also the final week for the Jeff Koons’s exhibition (17/10) or a Saturday late (15/10).
Free entry for all exhibitions.
Opening Times
Tuesday – Friday & Sunday
10am – 6pm (last admission 5.45pm)
Saturday
10am – 10pm (last admission 9.45pm)
Closed Monday
