DENYS LASDUN- THE CHOSEN ONE- DESIGNS NATIONAL THEATRE

Above: Denys Lasdun's model of the National Theatre and Denys Lasdun

One of Britain's leading architects, Denys Lasdun, was chosen to design the building. In spite of Lasdun's fine modernist credentials he was to many a surprising choice – he had never designed a theatre.

Perhaps Lasdun's interview technique helps explain his appointment: of the twenty finalists interviewed by the committee Lasdun was the only one to appear without the support of a team. Lasdun's solo interview and such comments as “the essence of designing a theatre is a spiritual one,” seem to have appealed to the theatrical sensibilities of the committee: Laurence Olivier later wrote, 'Oh, my dear! We all fell for that. Well, he was a unanimous choice; we knew we'd got by far the most suitable man and probably the most brilliant man in England.' Lord Cottesloe, the Chairman of the Arts Council and the South Bank Board, wrote that “the committee was particularly impressed when he said he knew nothing about designing theatres and would have to sit down and learn what was needed from our committee.”