East Sussex’s majestic De La Warr Pavilion is about to get even grander, because plans for the modernist masterpiece to receive a £17 million renovation have just been given the green light.
Commissioned in 1935, the Grade I-listed De La Warr Pavilion was the UK’s first modernist building. Designed by Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff, the bold concrete and steel structure underwent an £8 million restoration project in 2005. It’s been two decades since then, and the building is in need of some TLC.
Rother District Council has just unanimously granted planning permission and listed building consent for the De La Warr Pavilion Masterplan, which will see the auditorium refurbished and the creation of a new community and learning studio. The pavilion’s balcony will have full accessibility for the first time, while a new bar, shop and toilets will be installed alongside improved cafes and restaurants. The architects – Haworth Tompkins – will also work on the building’s sustainability by improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
The renovation will be delivered in stages to allow the building to remain partially open throughout the works. Dates for the start and end of the works have not been announced yet. The renovation is funded by the government.
Famous honorary patrons of the pavilion include Eddie Izzard, Anthony Gormley and Queen Camilla. About the renovation, Gormley said: ‘The De La Warr Pavilion is unique. The reborn Pavilion will enable a wider experience of art in all its forms for the residents of Bexhill and many from further afield. Here is a place where art and life come together for mutual inspiration.’
Stewart Drew, chief executive and artistic director of the De La Warr Pavilion said: ‘The Pavilion has always been more than a building. It was created as a bold symbol of progress, a space where architecture, art and community come together. This project is about protecting that vision, while transforming the Pavilion to meet the challenges of the future – from sustainability to social impact. Our aim is to secure the Pavilion’s place as an iconic cultural hub for the South East for the next 100 years.’
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