BDP transforms Royal Albert Hall Boiler House into new artists' bar
The completion of the Artists’ Bar at the Royal Albert Hall has seen a once-hidden industrial powerhouse become an atmospheric hospitality venue, crafted to enhance one of the world’s most celebrated performance spaces - thanks to designers from BDP realising the Royal Albert Hall’s vision.
Tucked two levels beneath the ground, in what was once the building’s steam boiler house, the room has carried nearly 150 years of history within its brick walls. BDP’s design honours the industry of the space while creating a warm, contemporary environment for artists, collaborators and guests.
Following the successful delivery of a new subterranean two-storey extension to the south-west quadrant, BDP’s interior design and lighting teams have reimagined the boiler house, without losing its character.
Many of the original industrial components were carefully decommissioned and preserved, then recast in resin and embedded within a patinated steel staircase and feature wall. Individually illuminated, these objects form a sculptural narrative through the space, offering moments of discovery and celebrating the ingenuity that once drove the Hall’s operations. Their presence creates an experience that is immersive, reflective and deeply rooted in place.
“We want to ensure that all the world-class artists we welcome receive a Royal Albert Hall experience backstage as well as on-stage. By preserving the historic features of the space in the creation of this beautiful new Artists’ Bar, BDP has worked with our team to create a design that reflects both our proud past and our incredibly exciting future. We couldn’t be happier with the results.”
Material choices for the new bar were deliberately responsive to the building’s past. Brass and bronze echo the mechanical heritage of the boiler house, while the dramatic blue quartzite bar top introduces a sense of movement and energy, its crystalline textures recalling water vapour and weathered metal. The geometry of the room has been respected as bespoke banquette seating mirrors the curvature of the Victorian brickwork. New high-level metalwork with bespoke lighting draws inspiration from the voids left behind by the four original boilers, introducing sculptural forms that feel integrated and authentic.
Across the bar, the details ensure cohesion and clarity. Timber flooring brings warmth to balance the industrial palette, and a bespoke inset rug traces the former positions of the boilers, embedding history into the everyday experience of the room. Furnishings are flexible to enable adaptations to the room for rehearsals, collaboration, performances and post-show gatherings. New furniture forms and colours sit comfortably alongside restored and bespoke, crafted features.
Lighting has played a pivotal role in shaping the bar’s identity. The design adapts effortlessly from day to night. Tuneable white fittings allow the atmosphere to shift with precision. Brighter, cooler tones enliven the space during the day for informal working and meetings and in the evening, levels drop and warmth increases, creating a more intimate setting for the artists who use the bar as a retreat from the spotlight. Accent lighting brings the brick arches, cast components and subtle imperfections of the historic structure into focus, revealing layers of change, craftsmanship and age. The result is a space that not only respects its past but displays it proudly.
The Artists’ Bar now stands as a quietly confident, beautifully crafted addition to the Royal Albert Hall. It is a space where history and contemporary design coexist effortlessly, offering artists and guests a memorable environment shaped by the building’s enduring spirit.
“This project gave us a rare opportunity to work with a piece of the Royal Albert Hall’s unseen history and shape it into a place that feels special, grounded and genuinely connected to its heritage. Every design decision was about creating an experience that respects the industrial past while welcoming people into a comfortable and characterful environment. It’s been a privilege to help reveal a part of the Hall that has never been experienced in this way before.”
