Hat-trick: Caruso St John architects unveil Liverpool Philharmonic, plus galleries for Damien Hirst and Larry Gagosian
Three high-profile projects designed by architecture studio Caruso St John have opened in the space of just two weeks.
Two private art galleries designed by the firm have opened their doors in London; Damien Hirst’s £25m (US$38.2m, €33m) Newport Street Gallery and Larry Gagosian’s third – the largest gallery in the capital. Work has also been completed on a large-scale refurbishment of the 1939 Grade II-listed Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.
The Newport Street Gallery is set out over two levels and comprises a string of three listed theatre production warehouses and two new buildings, which stretch the entire length of a street in Vauxhall. The new additions by Caruso St John use similar materials to the existing buildings, which were built in 1913.
Free for the public to visit, the 3,437sq m (37,000sq ft) gallery, houses the personal collection of Damien Hirst, comprising more than 3,000 pieces, including works by Francis Bacon, Jeff Koons and Banksy. The gallery also includes a shop and a café.
The gallery’s inaugural exhibition is dedicated to the work of John Hoyland, with the Sheffield-born abstract artist’s work filling all the building’s six gallery spaces.
The development is seen by local authority Lambeth Council as the start of a “Gallery Quarter,” alongside a major regeneration project in the area. This includes an extension to the underground, the regeneration of nearby Waterloo Station and a regeneration of Brixton.
Larry Gagosian’s new gallery is his 15th location. The Gagosian Grosvenor Hill in Mayfair is Caruso St John’s seventh collaboration with Gagosian, having also designed the US art dealer’s galleries in Hong Kong, Paris and Rome, as well as a smaller Mayfair location.
The 1,600sq m (17,200sq ft) gallery is centrally lit, with dark oak floors for contrast. The building’s exterior was designed by architects Tate Hindle. Clad in light-grey bricks, the building includes two large windows, which offer natural light and access for larger arriving artworks. The interior also includes two double-height gallery spaces with large openings, designed to give the ability to showcase a range of different pieces.
The gallery has been developed in conjunction with the land owner, Grosvenor Estates, which leased the building to Gagosian for 20 years. The development is part of a wider cultural regeneration of the area, with recent additions including the the headquarters of Phillips auction house, Sadie Coles gallery and fashion designer Hussein Chalayan's first shop.
The Liverpool Philharmonic Hall launched its new 250-capacity Music Room on 10 October, signalling the completion of its £14.5m (US$22.4m, €19.7m) refurbishment.
The renovations were carried out in two phases. The first stage, beginning in May 2014, saw work completed on the main hall, auditorium, backstage dressing rooms and the front of house space. Construction then began on the Music Room, which has been built at the rear of the main hall. It's designed to host concerts, smaller-scale performances, masterclasses and workshops. The venue can use cabaret-style seating or be cleared to create standing space.
The architects were tasked with enhancing the drama of the building’s original art deco detailing and design, and making the Hall more accessible and sustainable. They researched original architect Herbert Rowse’s intentions for the Hall and took inspiration from buildings designed by some of the contemporaries he admired.
Construction and fit-out contractor Gilbert-Ash were hired to undertake the refurbishment, following their work on the Stirling Prize-winning Liverpool Everyman Theatre.
Following the completion of the work, Michael Eakin, Liverpool Philharmonic’s chief executive, said: “With a design approach led by our architects Caruso St. John that's based on respecting and enhancing the heritage of the Hall with innovative design – we’ve aimed to ensure that building remains a beautiful, relevant and central part of Liverpool’s cultural and community life."
Damien Hirst and Massive Attack revealed as collaborators for Banksy's twisted theme park
Damien Hirst's personal collection to go on display at new gallery in 2015
Tate Modern welcomes record visitor numbers in 2012
AI firm Midjourney enters wellness with spa, fitness and body scanning concept
Hot spring wellness community Ameyalli sells residences and breaks ground on resort and spa
OMA completes New Museum transformation with landmark expansion and Oberon restaurant
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance, hospitality and public programming. The latest addition, Oberon, extends the visitor experience beyond the gallery, reflecting a growing trend for museums to become all-day destinations.
The New Museum in New York has entered a new chapter with the completion of a major
David Rockwell creates immersive magic destination, The Hand and The Eye
Montana Heritage Center by Cushing Terrell opens after US$107 million investment
Universal launches new theme park model with Kids Resort
'Minor wellness hotels' recorded the strongest growth across top KPIs in 2025, finds RLA Global
Great Barrier Reef attraction set for AU$180 million reinvention
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has architecture by Leach Rhodes Walker and interiors by Bergman Design House.
Marriott International partners with Fitwel for wellness solutions across its residential portfolio
Preidlhof Luxury DolceVita Resort to unveil new spa in February 2027
Places Leisure is working with Roberts Limbrick to build £60m wellness flagship in Basingstoke
Hoshino Resorts opens Kai Kusatsu as it expands the Kai onsen ryokan brand
Qiddiya and Populous share details of Saudi Arabia’s National Tennis Centre
Disney confirms US$30 billion investment programme as it highlights its economic impact
Until combines multiple disciplines at new Canary Wharf club
Sea Lanes opens following a partnership between The Eden Project and Canary Wharf Group
Bas Smets brings water and wilderness to Vitra
Expo 2030 Riyadh will create a permanent global destination
Luxury resort coming to Hunter Valley will have longevity spa
'Data chocolate', dreams made real and artworks shaped by visitors’ emotions: Refik Anadol’s AI art museum launches in Los Angeles
London Museum reveals 2026 opening date for new Smithfield home
BIG unveils Eve Music Hall as Croatia venue nears completion
Bob Rogers hands BRC to long-serving leadership team
Palazzo di Varignana launches family wellbeing and longevity retreat in Emilia Romagna
Anasa Wellness and Spa debuts at Patmos Aktis as it joins Marriott
Design-led Koru Health Club combines high-performance training with recovery
Wellness care hospital opens in Vilnius with innovative spa and hospitality concept
Universal and Puy du Fou projects point to rise of Oxford–Cambridge corridor
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’ planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism investment.
For years, the corridor has been associated primarily with science, technology, housing and university-led economic growth. However, the clustering of large-scale visitor attraction projects along the
All-inclusive eco-wellness development Auko to open near Vietnam’s Son Doong caves
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres





























