RIBA announces the National Theatre in London as the 2015 Client of the Year

In another announcement from RIBA during their 2015 Stirling Prize party today, the National Theatre in London won the 2015 Client of the Year award. Every year, RIBA honors exemplary clients who have contributed to developing examples of "fine architecture" within the United Kingdom.

The National Theatre was selected out of three shortlisted clients.

Read on for more.

RIBA President Jane Duncan said: 'Architecture needs clients who take a long-term approach to their properties, and few have had a longer commitment than the National Theatre. Ever since Sir Laurence Olivier’s initial dream in the 1960s of a national theatre with a permanent home on London’s South Bank, successive directors have seen architecture and theatre as being mutually inter-dependent. Sir Denys Lasdun, Stanton Williams and Haworth Tompkins have successively given an improved theatrical experience to actors and audiences. The result of both of the latter architects’ work has made Lasdun’s masterpiece more than worthy of its Grade I-listed status.'

Previous winners in recent years include The Royal Shakespeare Company (2011), Olympic Delivery Authority (2012), the National Trust (2013), and Manchester Metropolitan University (2014).