The National Youth Theatre (NYT) has a rich and long-standing history in the London Borough of Islington. The arts charity has been inspiring young people to find their route into the creative industries since 1956, including internationally acclaimed actors Dame Helen Mirren, Chiwitel Ejiofor, Zawe Ashton and Daniel Craig. It has been operating from its home on Holloway Road since 1987. Built in 1872, it was originally designed by architect George Truefitt as a music hall, known as Holloway Hall. The building is now locally listed and in the Mercers Road / Tavistock Terrace Conservation Area.

NYT’s urban context on busy Holloway Road provided both a challenge and an opportunity. The existing building was fronted by a car park which disconnected it from life on the street and reduced its visibility. The opportunity lay in creating a visible and welcoming presence on Holloway Road to welcome a greater number of young people into the space.
Completed in summer 2021, the refurbished building now features a new front pavilion, which provides additional community space and better integrates the institution into Holloway Road, as well as revealing the backstage activities that are fundamental to NYT’s working. The pavilion is designed to change over time – both day-to-day and seasonally – from a space for teaching, to a venue for performance, and even to a hub for community events. Its new front entrance is fully accessible and designed to welcome all, reflecting the charity’s commitment to reach out to those underrepresented in the sector.

In upgrading the National Youth Theatre, the structure of the building has been retained to minimise the environmental impact of the overall development. Externally, subtle green glazed bricks sit sympathetically to the original brickwork and enhance the setting of mature Norway maple trees. DSDHA opened up the interiors by to create naturally lit, versatile spaces for new productions by removing columns, thereby providing the flexibility needed in a working theatre. New insertions are formed with exposed blockwork and birch ply to retain an unfinished feel resembling informal warehouse spaces and serving as a backdrop to performances.

The renovated venue can accommodate twice as many students as before to find their route into the creative industries and with free programmes for young residents of Islington to attend. It also brought together staff from different locations. New spaces, such as the Green Room and Creative Hub provide spaces for encounter between staff and visiting actors. The project has been awarded the highest sum to date from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund which enabled the charity to purchase a long lease on the property, leaving the use of the building for generations to come.