Haworth Tompkins has completed Backstage at the Old Vic, a new build six storey extension to the Grade II* listed Old Vic Theatre, in London’s Waterloo marking a bold new chapter in the theatre’s remarkable 200-year story. The brief called for a building that would be a welcoming destination for the local community, house the theatre’s extensive outreach programme and include expansion of the theatre’s working spaces.
The resulting building is a place for creativity, learning and for the community to come together and supports every part of the theatre’s life, from writing and rehearsal to education, outreach and performance. Spaces include a triple height café and script library, a writer's room, a Clore Learning Centre, a new green room and a rooftop event space. The works also involved remodelling the existing back of house spaces to achieve (for the first time in the theatre’s history), a fully accessible stage door, improved dressing rooms and staff offices and the refurbishment of the existing rehearsal room to include a studio theatre space.
Sustainability sits at the heart of the building’s ethos, prioritising the use of recycled materials, a low embodied carbon structure and passive energy systems. Working closely with the theatre’s team has been a privilege, their vision and purpose shaped every detail and every decision reflects The Old Vic’s commitment to be welcoming, creative, accessible and forward-looking with a building built to serve artists, audiences and the community for generations to come.
Planning permission has been granted for the first phase of York Central, delivering 1014 homes, commercial space, extensive public realm and parkland, as well as a brand-new entrance to the west of York railway station.
Five Haworth Tompkins projects have secured six shortlist places across the 2026 AJ Architecture Awards and NLA Awards. The recognition reflects the breadth of our expertise across culture, housing, regeneration and masterplanning - from the sensitive transformation of listed cultural buildings to major residential developments and urban masterplans.
Planning permission has been secured for the first phase of the transformation of St Botolph's Quarter in central Colchester, marking an important milestone in the city's long-term regeneration.
Pembroke Mill Lane for Pembroke College, Cambridge, has been shortlisted for the 2026 RIBA Stirling Prize, the UK's most prestigious award for architecture.
Wonderful to see the new performance spaces at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) alive with performance, rehearsal and teaching.
Pembroke Mill Lane, Cambridge has received a RIBA National Award.
Haworth Tompkins has been shortlisted in two categories at this year's Building Design Architect of the Year Awards.
We are so pleased to see The Court Theatre continue to receive industry recognition, with multiple honours at Friday night's Property Council New Zealand Industry Awards, including the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Judges' Choice Award.
| 25.03.26 | Mass Timber Design Innovations: from fire strategy to carbon reduction, the challenges and opportunities of designing with timber. → |
| 30.10.25 | Construction Reaches Topping Off Milestone for the New Home of the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University → |
| 28.07.25 | Haworth Tompkins reveals plans for the redevelopment of Grade I listed De La Warr Pavilion → |
| 13.05.25 | Haworth Tompkins to lead design of affordable housing in £2.5 Billion York Central Regeneration → |