Bracken House |
| Hob Uid: 533882 | |
Location :
Greater London Authority
City and County of the City of London
Non Civil Parish
|
| Grid Ref : TQ3220480994 |
| Summary : Bracken House was built in 1955-59 for the Financial Times. In 1987, it was the first post-war building to receive statutory protection which effectively prevented its demolition. The building was designed by Sir Albert Richardson and constructed in pink brick and Hollington sandstone. The choice of such materials is said to have been a symbolic reference requested by the newspaper's chairman, Lord Brendan Bracken. When first built, Bracken House consisted of two office-block wings linked by an octagonal printing works in the middle. The north block was occupied by the newspaper's offices, the entrance to which featured an astrological clock displaying the features of Sir Winston Churchill, Bracken's former boss. The building's south block, which was rented out, was like that to the north but skewed.When the Financial Times moved out of the building it was bought in 1987 by the Japanese construction company Obayashi Gumi with the intention to demolish it and build a new merchant bank on the site. Its subsequent listing by English Heritage saw the building was redeveloped with partial demolition and new build. In a scheme designed by Michael Hopkins and Partners, the two office-block wings were retained and redeveloped whilst the central printing works was demolished and replaced by an office block of six floors. In reference to the materials of the old building, the load-bearing piers of the new building are of Hollington stone. The bay windows rest on three-armed brackets made of gun-metal (bronze, zinc and lead), a structural material. Although a compromise, it shows how a listed building can be reconciled with contemporary architecture. According to Harwood, 'Hopkin's metal skeleton and tinted glass respect the proportions of Richardson's bookended composition with a 1990s aesthetic.' |
More information : Bracken House was built in 1955-59 for the Financial Times. In 1987, it was the first post-war building to receive statutory protection which effectively prevented its demolition. The building was designed by Sir Albert Richardson and constructed in pink brick and Hollington sandstone. The choice of such materials is said to have been a symbolic reference requested by the newspaper's chairman, Lord Brendan Bracken. When first built, Bracken House consisted of two office-block wings linked by an octagonal printing works in the middle. The north block was occupied by the newspaper's offices, the entrance to which featured an astrological clock displaying the features of Sir Winston Churchill, Bracken's former boss. The building's south block, which was rented out, was like that to the north but skewed.
When the Financial Times moved out of the building it was bought in 1987 by the Japanese construction company Obayashi Gumi with the intention to demolish it and build a new merchant bank on the site. Its subsequent listing by English Heritage saw the building redeveloped with partial demolition and new build. In a scheme designed by Michael Hopkins and Partners, the two office-block wings were retained and redeveloped whilst the central printing works was demolished and replaced by an office block of six floors. In reference to the materials of the old building, the load-bearing piers of the new building are of Hollington stone. The bay windows rest on three-armed brackets made of gun-metal (bronze, zinc and lead), a structural material. Although a compromise, it shows how a listed building can be reconciled with contemporary architecture. According to Harwood, 'Hopkin's metal skeleton and tinted glass respect the proportions of Richardson's bookended composition with a 1990s aesthetic.' (1-3)
Listed Grade II*. Listed as `Bracken House'. (4)
For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. (5) |