The Richard Rogers-designed Channel 4 headquarters in London, which was not too long ago deemed one of many UK’s most-at-risk buildings, has been granted Grade II-listed standing.
Accomplished in 1994, the Channel 4 headquarters in central London was given a Grade II-listing as an “elegant instance of high-tech structure”, in line with itemizing physique Historic England.
The itemizing follows an evaluation carried out by the physique after the constructing’s homeowners utilized for a Certificates of Immunity from Itemizing, which might have assured that no itemizing occurred for 5 years.
It’s understood that the homeowners wished to interchange its atrium glazing. Nonetheless, heritage physique the Twentieth Century Society (C20) described the constructing as below menace of “redevelopment or alteration”.
Constructing created by “one in all Britain’s most celebrated architects”
Historic England described the Channel 4 headquarters as “a significant contributor to our cultural panorama” and”an necessary British work by Richard Rogers Partnership, a apply of worldwide renown led by one in all Britain’s most celebrated architects”.
“[It is] a chic work of the high-tech motion, displaying lots of its key rules, such because the separation of providers from the areas served, using prefabricated parts and a technological aesthetic based mostly upon expressed construction and uncovered providers,” added the physique.
The constructing, which was Rogers’ first in central London after his Grade I-listed Lloyd’s constructing, includes two wings that create an L-shaped kind related by a curved formed flanked by two towers.
Its distinctive facade is clad in glass and pewter-coated powder-grey aluminium, punctuated by pale-red particulars.
It was not too long ago named on the C20’s Danger Checklist of the constructing’s most below menace, because of the truth that it “may very well be prone to being offered if Channel 4 is privatised and is below menace of redevelopment or alteration.”
Headquarters an “exemplar of the high-tech motion”
The organisation applauded the choice to present it a Grade II-listing.
“The Channel 4 HQ is undoubtedly one in all Richard Rogers’ most vital UK tasks and so we’re delighted to see it obtain the safety it deserves,” C20 director Catherine Croft mentioned.
“C20 Society strongly advocated for the constructing to be recognised with itemizing and included it in our latest 2023 Danger Checklist,” she added.
“Like his celebrated ‘inside-out’ Lloyds constructing, it is an exemplar of the excessive tech motion, dramatically expressing its providers and structural parts externally – a becoming metaphor for the daring public broadcaster that commissioned it.”
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Companions (RSHP), the studio co-founded by Rogers, was “delighted” the Channel 4 headquarters is now listed.
“RSHP are delighted to see that the Channel 4 headquarters in London has been Grade II listed,” RSHP senior design associate Ivan Harbour advised Dezeen.
“The constructing, commissioned by the, then, 10-year-old TV station, radical in its programming and commissioning was, on opening, described as a ‘transistor radio’ following on from the ‘valve radio’, Lloyd’s of London,” he added.
“Though, superficially comparable in its expression (the crew was led by John Younger, following his function on Lloyd’s), the constructing takes the opposite city strategy, re-enforcing the road edges and amplifying its main Westminster road nook as a beneficiant public house.”
RSHP is reportedly investigating turning the Lloyd’s constructing right into a resort for its homeowners.
The images is courtesy of RSHP.
