1 Kemble Street / Space House, London

L8Hatter · October 22nd, 2006, 08:44 PM

Completed: 1962
Floors: 18
Height: 52m
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=2313

Designed by Richard Seifert who was responsible for most of the decent pre-90's scrapers in London (i.e. Centrepoint, Natwest Tower). Right in the centre of London, but so tucked away that a lot of people aren't aware of it, and it's difficult to get a decent photo. It's the Elisha Cuthbert of London buidings for me, small but perfectly formed.

***wjfox*** · October 22nd, 2006, 08:52 PM

Your poll options were wrong, so I edited them.

How come literally EVERYBODY gets the poll options wrong, EVERY TIME?? Jesus...

Anyway - sorry - don't mean to sound aggressive, but I had to get it off my chest.

Nice looking building!

El_Greco · October 22nd, 2006, 08:57 PM

Yep its very nice.
9/10

NothingBetterToDo · October 23rd, 2006, 03:29 AM

Nice 9/10

Looks like a round version of Centrepoint........or a Honeycomb

Erebus555 · October 23rd, 2006, 11:32 AM

Nice, reminds me of a low rise here in Brum on New Street. 8/10

oscar9 · October 23rd, 2006, 10:37 PM

This would look great if it was twice the height. A sort of round Centrepoint tower ,although I would still prefer Centrepoint.7/10

L8Hatter · October 24th, 2006, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wjfox2002

Your poll options were wrong, so I edited them.

How come literally EVERYBODY gets the poll options wrong, EVERY TIME?? Jesus...

Anyway - sorry - don't mean to sound aggressive, but I had to get it off my chest.

Nice looking building!

Sorry boss, what did I do wrong? Is it better just to stick to a staright 1-10? I'm new to these polls so I have an excuse. Everyone else should be thoroughly ashamed though

DaiB · October 25th, 2006, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erebus555

Nice, reminds me of a low rise here in Brum on New Street. 8/10

If Centrepoint and the Rotunda had a baby girl, it'd look just like this. Delightful, especially the cantilever. 7/10 - she loses a couple of marks for being a bit podgy.

1LONDONER · October 30th, 2006, 12:03 AM

Nice Variety compared to the common boxy shapes

8/10

***Medo*** · October 30th, 2006, 12:54 AM

Where exactly is this, how come I've never seen this before? 7/10

NothingBetterToDo · October 31st, 2006, 12:21 AM

i cant quite place it, but i have seen it a few times......i think it pops into views from Hyde Park

potto · October 31st, 2006, 01:35 PM

Its the Covent Garden side of Holborn, just off the road that connects Holborn with Aldwych ... opposite the LSE buildings probably

It looks nicely sculptural in the sunshine, just it doesnt work in overcast weather (the problem with concrete in this country and why glass and steel will always be better). Ground level it doesnt work either, its quite a tight street network in this area and this building instead of placed in the middle of a square or circle or on the end of a row is plonked along the street edge. Other buildings around here are as guilty but this just adds to the mess.

JDRS · November 7th, 2006, 02:41 AM

I've got a bit of a soft spot for this "centre point style" skyscraper and quite like this one. Would be interesting to see what it would look like a bit taller. 8/10

Biosonic · November 8th, 2006, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaiB

If Centrepoint and the Rotunda had a baby girl, it'd look just like this. Delightful, especially the cantilever. 7/10 - she loses a couple of marks for being a bit podgy.

Imagine giving birth to it though with all those points!!

Absolutely love it!!! One of my favourite modern buildings. For me the height is right - all the detail would be too much for a building much taller.

You can see Brum's Alpha Tower in there too (also a Seifert)

9/10

U475 Foxtrot · November 9th, 2006, 03:11 PM

9/10

Butterfield · November 9th, 2006, 05:02 PM

Awwww what a great lickle big building! It looks so clean and well kept. Reminds me of those two "corn cob" buildings in Chicago - Marina City. 9/10

henry hill · July 23rd, 2009, 08:12 PM

8/10

***gothicform*** · July 3rd, 2011, 11:24 PM

big fan of this building. pity it was almost halved in height from the original plans. interesting fact is it predates centrepoint.

reading general · July 10th, 2011, 12:50 AM

love it. it's like a hotel that bond would stay at in the 70's era. plus its got the big block outside to skate.
centrepoint should have been the shorter of the two

B890bT · March 10th, 2012, 10:53 PM

there are loads of modern designs just like that, clean the concrete up and it could easily pass for 5-10 years old 7/10

View Poll Results: Rate this pocket rocket
10	3	7.14%
9	16	38.10%
8	12	28.57%
7	8	19.05%
6	2	4.76%
5	1	2.38%
4	0	0%
3	0	0%
2	0	0%
1	0	0%
Voters: 42. You may not vote on this poll

October 22nd, 2006, 08:44 PM	#1
L8Hatter Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Derby, UK Posts: 185 Likes (Received): 2	1 Kemble Street / Space House, London Completed: 1962 Floors: 18 Height: 52m http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=2313 Designed by Richard Seifert who was responsible for most of the decent pre-90's scrapers in London (i.e. Centrepoint, Natwest Tower). Right in the centre of London, but so tucked away that a lot of people aren't aware of it, and it's difficult to get a decent photo. It's the Elisha Cuthbert of London buidings for me, small but perfectly formed.

October 22nd, 2006, 08:57 PM	#3
El_Greco I Like Palm Trees Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 16,758 Likes (Received): 274	Yep its very nice. 9/10 __________________ My Photos : Lisbon\|Madrid\|Rome\|Naples\|London\|Rotterdam\|Fes

October 23rd, 2006, 03:29 AM	#4
NothingBetterToDo Better To Do Nothing Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Posts: 10,536 Likes (Received): 1	Nice 9/10 Looks like a round version of Centrepoint........or a Honeycomb __________________ My Pictures: London - Amsterdam - Copenhagen - Berlin - Oslo - Bergen - Prague - Dublin

October 23rd, 2006, 11:32 AM	#5
Erebus555 It's Sting. So What? Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Bristol Posts: 31,246 Likes (Received): 4	Nice, reminds me of a low rise here in Brum on New Street. 8/10 __________________ The UK Housing Wiki - Attempting to document every tower block, council estate, private estate, housing association, tower block construction/ demolition method, tower block architect, tower block construction company... etc etc, in the UK. Everything to do with postwar residences! - Please join and help! EREBUS - OFFICIAL MOD CANDIDATE 2011 - BRITISH MODS FOR BRITISH PEOPLE!

October 22nd, 2006, 08:52 PM	#2
*wjfox* Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: L O N D O N Posts: 36,231 Likes (Received): 944	Your poll options were wrong, so I edited them. How come literally EVERYBODY gets the poll options wrong, EVERY TIME?? Jesus... Anyway - sorry - don't mean to sound aggressive, but I had to get it off my chest. Nice looking building!

October 23rd, 2006, 10:37 PM	#6
oscar9 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3,257 Likes (Received): 39	This would look great if it was twice the height. A sort of round Centrepoint tower ,although I would still prefer Centrepoint.7/10

October 30th, 2006, 12:03 AM	#9
1LONDONER Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Northern sides Posts: 600 Likes (Received): 9	Nice Variety compared to the common boxy shapes 8/10

October 30th, 2006, 12:54 AM	#10
*Medo* Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: London Posts: 18,437 Likes (Received): 108	Where exactly is this, how come I've never seen this before? 7/10 __________________ If we believe absurdities, we shall commit atrocities. -Voltaire

October 31st, 2006, 12:21 AM	#11
NothingBetterToDo Better To Do Nothing Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Posts: 10,536 Likes (Received): 1	i cant quite place it, but i have seen it a few times......i think it pops into views from Hyde Park __________________ My Pictures: London - Amsterdam - Copenhagen - Berlin - Oslo - Bergen - Prague - Dublin

October 31st, 2006, 01:35 PM	#12
potto Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Posts: 13,515 Likes (Received): 258	Its the Covent Garden side of Holborn, just off the road that connects Holborn with Aldwych ... opposite the LSE buildings probably It looks nicely sculptural in the sunshine, just it doesnt work in overcast weather (the problem with concrete in this country and why glass and steel will always be better). Ground level it doesnt work either, its quite a tight street network in this area and this building instead of placed in the middle of a square or circle or on the end of a row is plonked along the street edge. Other buildings around here are as guilty but this just adds to the mess.

November 7th, 2006, 02:41 AM	#13
JDRS Against ID Cards Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Manchester Posts: 9,823 Likes (Received): 0	I've got a bit of a soft spot for this "centre point style" skyscraper and quite like this one. Would be interesting to see what it would look like a bit taller. 8/10

November 9th, 2006, 03:11 PM	#15
U475 Foxtrot Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 4,195 Likes (Received): 2	9/10

November 9th, 2006, 05:02 PM	#16
Butterfield lime-hating shrublet Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: British Leyland Posts: 18,554 Likes (Received): 222	Awwww what a great lickle big building! It looks so clean and well kept. Reminds me of those two "corn cob" buildings in Chicago - Marina City. 9/10

July 23rd, 2009, 08:12 PM	#17
henry hill Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 22,982 Likes (Received): 3	8/10 __________________

July 3rd, 2011, 11:24 PM	#18
*gothicform* Bossman Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: not london Posts: 29,232 Likes (Received): 504	big fan of this building. pity it was almost halved in height from the original plans. interesting fact is it predates centrepoint.

July 10th, 2011, 12:50 AM	#19
reading general Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: the tilehurst end Posts: 433 Likes (Received): 4	love it. it's like a hotel that bond would stay at in the 70's era. plus its got the big block outside to skate. centrepoint should have been the shorter of the two

March 10th, 2012, 10:53 PM	#20
B890bT Registered User Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brighton Posts: 122 Likes (Received): 0	there are loads of modern designs just like that, clean the concrete up and it could easily pass for 5-10 years old 7/10

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