| Summary : Southgate Underground Station is a unique example of the work of Charles Holden and remains today in almost exactly the same state as it was when opened on 13th March 1933. The Piccadilly line runs below in a short length of tunnel between neighbouring stations with open platforms (Arnos Grove and Oakwood). From the southside, despite being obviously related to other 1930s stations, Southgate is strikingly individual. The estate agent's department had managed to purchase a large corner site, which Holden cut across with a private roadway with access for buses. Behind this he wrapped a solid brick facade, cut away at the bottom to provide space for shops and a waiting room. This formed a perfect backdrop to the station building itself, which he situated on the island formed at the tip of the corner. The overall appearance of this is of a glass drum surrounded by shops with an outer glass skin. There are flat roofs on two different levels, the central supporting column pierecing through an abstracted centrepiece crowning the building. New escalators were installed in 1991 and the original lighting reinstated but adapted to meet modern illumination standards. |