Hayward Gallery – Southbank Centre, London

The Hayward Gallery of contemporary art in London is part of the Southbank Centre. The Gallery is housed in a historic Brutalist-style building.

Opened in 1968 and named after British politician and London County Council’s leader Sir Isaac James Hayward, the gallery does not have a permanent collection but organizes temporary exhibitions (from 3 to 4 a year, typically) focused primarily on international contemporary art.
Artists featured in the last years include Diane Arbus, Lee Bul, Martin Creed, Tracey Emin, Andreas Gursky, Carsten Höller, Ana Mendieta, Pipilotti Rist, Ed Ruscha, and Andy Warhol, among others.

As previously mentioned, the Hayward Gallery is part of the larger Southbank Centre building complex which also comprises the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Purcell Room, the National Poetry Library, and the Southbank Centre Archive Studio.
Designed in the mid-1960s by a team of then-young architects – including Norman Engleback, John Attenborough, Ron Herron, and Warren Chalk – the massive 2,659-square-meter/28621-square-foot concrete building of the Hayward Gallery is widely regarded as one of the best examples of Brutalist architecture in Britain.

The Southbank Centre in London, the Hayward Gallery is the building on the right; photo Morley von Sternberg courtesy of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

Another view of the center with the gallery in the foreground; photo Ben Beaumont-Thomas.

On three floors, the gallery’s building contains five exhibition spaces, a lobby, a shop, a panoramic cafe, a project space, technical areas, and three outdoor sculpture terraces, while the gallery’s art library is housed in the adjacent Royal Festival Hall.
The two galleries on the top floor are naturally illuminated by 66 pyramid skylights.
Between 2015 and 2018, the entire Southbank Centre, including the Hayward Gallery, underwent a major renovation and restoration project designed by London-based architectural firm Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

Together with temporary exhibitions, the program of events and activities of the Hayward Gallery includes guided tours, educational activities, and special events.

The iconic pyramid skylights on top of the building; photo Morley von Sternberg courtesy of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

One of the gallery spaces; photo Morley von Sternberg courtesy of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

Installation view of Lee Bul, Willing To Be Vulnerable – Metalized Balloon, 2015-16 at Hayward Gallery, 2018. © Lee Bul, Photo: Linda Nylind.

Yayoi Kusama, Narcissus Garden, 1966–2018. Installation view Hayward Gallery, London, 2018 © and courtesy the artist. Photo: Mark Blower

One of the sculpture terraces of the Hayward Gallery with the work Sky Mirror Blue by Anish Kapoor. © Anish Kapoor. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2018. Photo: Mark Blower

Pictures

A historic photograph of the Hayward Gallery, image courtesy fo Southbank Centre.

The foyer of Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre; photo Morley von Sternberg courtesy of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

Southbank Centre, section and floor plans; images Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.
1,2,3,4 and 5 – galleries; 6 – Queen Elizabeth Hall; 7 – Purcell Room; 8 – Foyer; 9 – Hayward Gallery Shop; 10 – Hayward Gallery Project Space; 11 – Plant Room; 12 – Attic; 13 – Hayward Gallery Front of House; 14 – Queen Elizabeth Hall Back of House; 15 – Sculpture Terraces; 16 –  Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden.

Cover image: the Hayward Gallery at the Southbank Centre in London; photo Anett Salyik.