The Design of the Royal Albert Hall
Opened in 1871, the Royal Albert Hall is South Kensington’s great amphitheatre — an elliptical brick and terracotta landmark crowned by a vast wrought-iron and glass dome. Below, a quick design tour: plan, materials, the “mushrooms”, and the mighty Grand Organ — plus tips for visiting from our clinic.
Who designed it?
Originally by Captain Francis Fowke (Royal Engineers); completed after his death by Major-General Henry Y. D. Scott. The Hall is Grade I listed.
Overall concept
An **ellipse** in plan inspired by classical amphitheatres — built for public lectures, concerts and grand gatherings.
Signature elements
Fareham red brick with terracotta ornament, an encircling 800-ft frieze (“Triumph of Arts & Sciences”), and a 135-ft-high iron-and-glass dome.
Plan & proportions
In plan, the Hall is an ellipse — a shape that delivers uninterrupted sightlines and a powerful visual focus on the stage.
| Element | Measurement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| External axes | ~272 ft × 236 ft (83 m × 72 m) | Major × minor axes |
| Dome height | ~135 ft (41 m) | Wrought iron with glazing |
| Present capacity | ~5,272 | Varies by event layout |
The elliptical bowl and sheer volume created superb sightlines — but also notorious echoes under the original hard dome, later tamed by acoustic engineering.
Brick & terracotta
Constructed in **Fareham red brick** with rich terracotta bands and pilasters — robust, weather-resistant, and highly decorative.
The frieze
An ~800-ft mosaic-terracotta frieze circles the exterior: The Triumph of Arts and Sciences, in 16 allegorical panels from “Music” and “Sculpture” to “Architecture”.
The dome
A pioneering **wrought-iron and glass** structure spans the auditorium — an engineering feat of its era that still defines the skyline.
Acoustics: echoes, velarium & the ‘mushrooms’
Early audiences loved the spectacle but complained of a “double sound” — a lingering echo from the hard, high dome. Solutions evolved over time, from experimental canopies to the now-iconic fibreglass acoustic diffusers nicknamed the **“mushrooms.”**
1960s diffusers
~135 acoustic “mushrooms” were suspended in the late 1960s to scatter reflections and control the echo.
Re-tuning to ~85
Later re-arranged and reduced to **around 85** elements to fine-tune clarity for different programmes.
Modern sound
Recent upgrades added a discreet, hall-wide loudspeaker system integrated with the architecture to enhance intelligibility for amplified events.
Fun fact: the Hall’s Grade I status means interventions must preserve the building’s historic fabric while improving the listening experience.
The Grand Organ — “Voice of Jupiter”
The Hall’s colossal pipe organ was built by **Henry “Father” Willis** for the 1871 opening and was then the **largest in the world**. Rebuilds and restorations (notably by Mander Organs) have brought it to **9,999 pipes** and **147 stops** — a thunderous centrepiece for symphonic and solo repertoire alike.
Scale
Largest pipes ~42 ft high, ~2 ft 6 in diameter; the smallest are narrower than a drinking straw.
Nickname
Willis called it the **“Voice of Jupiter”** — apt when Saint-Saëns’ “Organ” Symphony fills the ellipse.
Today
The organ continues to star in recitals and Proms; it even has an **official organist** role today.
Visiting from Santi London
Royal Albert Hall sits just north of the museums on **Kensington Gore** — an easy walk from our clinic on **Thurloe Street, South Kensington**.
| From Santi London | Approx. walk | Route |
|---|---|---|
| To Royal Albert Hall | ~10–12 minutes | Via Exhibition Road → Kensington Gore |
| To V&A / NHM / Science Museum | ~5 minutes | Thurloe St → Exhibition Road |
Frequently asked
Why is the Hall elliptical instead of circular?
An ellipse concentrates attention on the stage while giving long, unbroken sightlines; it also supports the tiered amphitheatre seating.
What’s the story of the exterior frieze?
A continuous terracotta-mosaic band titled The Triumph of Arts and Sciences runs around the building in 16 themed panels — celebrating creativity, craft and learning.
What are the “mushrooms”?
They’re suspended fibreglass **acoustic diffusers** installed from the late 1960s to tame the Hall’s echo under the dome; later re-configured to improve clarity.
How big is the organ?
After restorations, the Grand Organ has **9,999 pipes** and **147 stops** — one of the UK’s largest, originally the biggest in the world at its 1871 debut.