CONTEXT 185 : SEPTEMBER 2025 43 sought to paper the functional difficulties. Following the necessity to use the building as the main entrance to the National Gallery, it was clear that the building required sensitive adaptation. But how does one intervene in a structure whose very identity is defined by complexity and contradiction? Assessing significance The 2018 listing of the Sainsbury Wing was a pivotal moment, both for the building and for postmodern architecture more broadly. This was not a reactive designation, but a proactive recognition of cultural and architectural value. Postmodern buildings pose distinct challenges to conventional heritage frameworks. They are often deliberately hybrid in style, layered in meaning, and full of visual irony. In the UK, their expression diverged from the playful commercialism seen in the US. The Sainsbury Wing stood in contrast with contemporaneous UK projects like Canary Wharf, Chelsea Harbour and Broadgate – large-scale developments that exemplified the commercial optimism and populist gestures of 1980s planning. Unlike these, the Sainsbury Wing carries a kind of intellectual seriousness that elevates it beyond pastiche. This distinction makes conservation all the more vital. Unlike more prolific modernist typologies, works by Venturi and Scott Brown are rare in Europe – the Sainsbury Wing being their only realised project here in the UK. Its significance lies not only in design, but also in authorship. As such, conservation approaches must honour this legacy, not erase or sanitise it. Adapting the inadaptable The refurbishment project, led by Selldorf Architects with Purcell as executive and heritage architect, was guided by a deep respect for the original design but also by pragmatism. The brief was clear: improve the visitor experience, enhance access and environmental performance and reassert the Sainsbury Wing as the National Gallery’s main entrance, all without compromising its postmodern identity. One of the project’s thorniest challenges lay in the lobby. The space had always struggled to fulfil its functional demands. A low ceiling, dictated by the elevation constraints of the adjoining Wilkins building, created an oppressive first impression. The lobby had to support multiple overlapping uses – reception, circulation, retail and access to galleries and lecture theatres – making the spatial experience confusing and cluttered. The conservation team’s approach was not to erase these complexities but to work within them. New interventions, such as improved lighting and wayfinding, clarify the sequence of arrival without fundamentally altering the fabric. The ceiling remains low, but the experience is lifted, literally and metaphorically, by a better integration of services and a more generous treatment of materials. This approach speaks to a broader conservation philosophy: that heritage is not about freezing a building in time, but allowing it to function and evolve. Understanding the purpose of the building is central. The Sainsbury Wing exists to present art and the conservation must support that primary function. This meant reconfiguring circulation and public spaces to meet contemporary expectations, while preserving key architectural elements that define its identity. Authorship, rarity and context Venturi and Scott Brown’s architectural language has often divided opinion. To some, their work is postmodern theatre – all facade and flourish. But such critiques underestimate the complexity of their spatial compositions. The Sainsbury Wing is not just a backdrop for paintings; it is a carefully choreographed experience of movement, sightlines and human scale. This experiential quality reinforces the building’s significance. Its design deliberately frames and guides the visitor’s journey, inviting moments The Grand Staircase The Grand Staircase with the Rotunda and Jubilee Walk
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