Modernist Britain

Standing on the corner of Royal Parade and North Street in the centre of Belfast (less than half a mile north of Donegall Square and the City Hall) the former Bank of Ireland Building is one of the finest Modernist buildings in Ireland. The building was constructed during 1929 and 1930 to designs by Joseph Vincent Downes. Born in 1891, Downes... Read more »
Tags: Commercial

Standing on Hampstead Road in North London, opposite Mornington Crescent tube station and half a mile north of Euston Road, the Arcadia Works was built between 1926 and 1928 for the Carreras Tobacco Company. The company was established in 1788 and started business in London in the mid-1850s. By 1907 the company had a large works on City Road (which... Read more »
Tags: Commercial

Standing on Tooley Street, near to HMS Belfast and on the south side of London Bridge in central London, St Olaf House was built between 1928 and 1932 for the Hay's Wharf Company. The Hay's Wharf Company was founded in 1867 ane operated warehouses and wharves on the Thames in London. St Olaf House was built on the site of... Read more »
Tags: Commercial

Throughout Greater London there are many Modernist multi-use buildings. Lion House on Red Lion Street in Richmond, Surrvey is a fine example of such an building, built very much for utilitarian purposes. Lion House stands in the centre of Richmond just off the central Hill Street/George Street thoroughfare. Like so many Modernist buildings in Britain Lion House provides a contrast to... Read more »
Tags: Commercial

Standing on Red Lion Square just off High Holborn in central London, Summit House was built in 1925 for the Austin Reed Company. The Austin Reed menswear company was founded in 1900 and by the 1920s had a flagship store on London's Regent Street. The company commissioned the architectural practice of Westwood & Emberton to design a London headquarters for... Read more »
Tags: Commercial

Located at 120 Fleet Street in the City of London, the former Daily Express Building is one of London's most iconic Modernist buildings. The building was constructed between 1930 and 1932 to serve as the headquarters of the Daily Express Newspaper in the capital. Architects Ellis and Clarke (the practice later became Ellis Clarke and Gallanaugh) were commissioned by the owner... Read more »
Tags: Commercial

Standing alongside the A40, to the west of Central London, the Hoover Building is a remarkable landmark for visitors to London. Originally built for the American Hoover Company, the factory on Western Avenue was built as a manufacturing base for the company's British vacuum cleaner production. The most significant structures on site comprised the main block (illustrated above), an additional... Read more »
Tags: Commercial

Broadcasting House, on Portland Place in London, was designed by architects George Val Myer and Watson Hart for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The interiors were designed by architect Raymond McGrath. It was Britain's first purpose-built broadcasting facility including offices and radio studios. The building comprises a steel frame construction clad in Portland stone rising for nine stories. The building... Read more »
Tags: Commercial

Ideal House in London stands on the corner of Great Marlborough Street and Argyll Street, just off Regent Street. Ideal House was designed by architects Raymond Hood and Gordon Jeeves for the American National Radiator Company. The design was inspired by the American Radiator Building on Bryant Park in Manhattan, New York designed by Raymond Hood and John Howells and... Read more »
Tags: Commercial