TallBox
September 2nd, 2008, 09:46 PM
BT Tower
London, UK
HEIGHT: 189m
FLOORS: 22 floors
COMPLETION:1961 - 1964
ARCHITECT: Eric Bredford
When the GPO telecommunications services were split off in 1981 (in advance of the 1984 privatisation) the tower was renamed the British Telecom Tower. After the rebranding of the company in 1992 it became the BT Tower. The building is no longer open to the public. The restaurant has been re-opened as a venue for use by BT for events and promotions: since the re-discovery of spare parts for the mechanism, it is even rotated occasionally. Occasional broadcasts are made from the top of the tower, including BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles on his birthday, 22 February 2006.
The tower is still in use, and is the site of a major UK communications hub.
Microwave links have been replaced by Subterranean fibre optic links for most mainstream purposes, but the former is still in use at the tower. The second floor of the base of the tower contains the TV Network Switching Centre which carries broadcasting traffic and relays signals between television broadcasters (including the BBC), production companies, advertisers, international satellite services and uplink companies.
The outside broadcast control is located about the former revolving restaurant, with the kitchens on floor 35.
A renovation in the 2000s installed coloured lighting projecting onto a new 360-degree light panel, extending out from the old light boxes, bearing the company logo, as part of BT's "connected world" corporate styling. Seven colours are programmed to vary constantly at night and are intended to appear as a rotating globe. The success of this is debatable but the building's night appearance is now more distinctive. The tower has always been a useful late-night navigational beacon for nearby residents, especially the numerous university halls within walking distance.
Until the mid-1990s, the building was officially a secret, and did not appear on official maps. Its existence was finally "confirmed" by Kate Hoey, MP, on 19 February 1993: "Hon. Members have given examples of seemingly trivial information that remains officially secret. An example that has not been mentioned, but which is so trivial that it is worth mentioning, is the absence of the British Telecom tower from Ordnance Survey maps. I hope that I am covered by parliamentary privilege when I reveal that the British Telecom tower does exist and that its address is 60 Cleveland Street, London."[3]
The BT Tower was given Grade II listed building status in 2003, several of the now defunct antennas located on the building now cannot be removed, as they are protected by this listing.
Entry to the building is provided by two high-speed lifts which travel at 6 metres per second, reaching the top of the building in 30 seconds. Interestingly, an Act of Parliament was passed to vary fire regulations, allowing the building to be evacuated by using the lifts — it is the only building in the country where this is permitted.
http://www.connected-earth.com/Collections/PeoplesConnectedEarth/Viewcontributions/BirthoftheBTTower/Tower.jpg
http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/69/200489453_6da1c24c0c.jpg
London, UK
HEIGHT: 189m
FLOORS: 22 floors
COMPLETION:1961 - 1964
ARCHITECT: Eric Bredford
When the GPO telecommunications services were split off in 1981 (in advance of the 1984 privatisation) the tower was renamed the British Telecom Tower. After the rebranding of the company in 1992 it became the BT Tower. The building is no longer open to the public. The restaurant has been re-opened as a venue for use by BT for events and promotions: since the re-discovery of spare parts for the mechanism, it is even rotated occasionally. Occasional broadcasts are made from the top of the tower, including BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles on his birthday, 22 February 2006.
The tower is still in use, and is the site of a major UK communications hub.
Microwave links have been replaced by Subterranean fibre optic links for most mainstream purposes, but the former is still in use at the tower. The second floor of the base of the tower contains the TV Network Switching Centre which carries broadcasting traffic and relays signals between television broadcasters (including the BBC), production companies, advertisers, international satellite services and uplink companies.
The outside broadcast control is located about the former revolving restaurant, with the kitchens on floor 35.
A renovation in the 2000s installed coloured lighting projecting onto a new 360-degree light panel, extending out from the old light boxes, bearing the company logo, as part of BT's "connected world" corporate styling. Seven colours are programmed to vary constantly at night and are intended to appear as a rotating globe. The success of this is debatable but the building's night appearance is now more distinctive. The tower has always been a useful late-night navigational beacon for nearby residents, especially the numerous university halls within walking distance.
Until the mid-1990s, the building was officially a secret, and did not appear on official maps. Its existence was finally "confirmed" by Kate Hoey, MP, on 19 February 1993: "Hon. Members have given examples of seemingly trivial information that remains officially secret. An example that has not been mentioned, but which is so trivial that it is worth mentioning, is the absence of the British Telecom tower from Ordnance Survey maps. I hope that I am covered by parliamentary privilege when I reveal that the British Telecom tower does exist and that its address is 60 Cleveland Street, London."[3]
The BT Tower was given Grade II listed building status in 2003, several of the now defunct antennas located on the building now cannot be removed, as they are protected by this listing.
Entry to the building is provided by two high-speed lifts which travel at 6 metres per second, reaching the top of the building in 30 seconds. Interestingly, an Act of Parliament was passed to vary fire regulations, allowing the building to be evacuated by using the lifts — it is the only building in the country where this is permitted.
http://www.connected-earth.com/Collections/PeoplesConnectedEarth/Viewcontributions/BirthoftheBTTower/Tower.jpg
http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/69/200489453_6da1c24c0c.jpg