The National Theatre – London
Construction: 1976-1977
Architect: Denys Lasdun

Somewhat disappointingly for me, my visit to the National Theatre coincided with some building work. Most of the bottom of the structure was fenced off or occluded by boarding. Because of this I didn’t get to appreciate the edifice in its entirety and most of the photos are pretty abstract elements from the top. But it gives me an excuse to make another visit in the near future I guess. Despite this, the building was something of a treat. The large horizontal platforms contrasted with vertical fly towers is classic Lasdun, and the diagrid patterning on the underside of the platforms is particularly striking. The raw grey concrete is left unpolished, and the imprints of the wooden planks which formed the moulds are clearly visible. The National Theatre was grade II* listed in 1994.