London’s National Gallery has announced the architect for its upcoming renovation that’s part of a bicentennial celebration planned for the museum in 2024.

Selldorf Architects will be in charge of the renovation tied to a planned competition called the NG200 Project.

Selldorff beat out Chipperfield Architects and four other UK-based firms for the commission said to be the institution’s largest in two decades. The firm is coming off of a recent successful renovation of New York’s Frick Collection, and will now look to another high-profile museum project with the potential for tremendous institutional impacts at a critical juncture for culture writ large.

The £25-30 million project will upgrade the museum’s Sainsbury Wing as well as some public spaces around its Trafalgar Square entrance. 

A five-member panel had previously raised the shortlist cap to include a sixth entry after announcing the competition in February.  

The Grade-I Listed building will be getting a new foyer and research center in addition to the outdoor improvements and other “interventions” to the original structure designed by Venturi, Scott Brown in 1991. An initial report had indicated that the restoration would be in three phases and culminate with the demolition of the adjacent St. Vincent House and installation of new office space although it is not clear if that will be part of the Selldorf team’s plan at this time. 

National Gallery Director Gabriele Finaldi characterized the restoration effort as a catalyst that would help the struggling museum “fight our way out [of] the crisis” created by Covid-19 in a statement to the Art Newspaper.

Plans will be submitted to Westminster in the fall. If approved, work will begin later next year with an first phase anticipated in time for the bicentennial in May of 2024. The rest of the project is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.