The Royal Festival Hall, London, opened in 1951. After half a century of constant use, the building and its auditorium found themselves stranded in a lifeless setting, unloved by musicians and losing money. For an upgrading in 2005-07 to enable the RFH to flourish again, the spirit of the original conception needed to prevail over the literal preservation of the structure.
This shift in the attitude taken towards conservation was achieved by the architect Diane Haigh, who has died unexpectedly aged 73, and it led to a more widespread change in guidance.
