221. Transport for London HQ. London

So Transport for London are moving house. They have just bought a new office that's eight times the size of their current one and are currently moving out. Their old office will be converted to luxury flats, so I thought now would be the perfect opportunity to pay a visit.

Outside:


I love buildings like this. They come from a time where materials were more expensive than labour, so were really worked on. The sculpture above was carved by Epstine in-situ! Leaving no margin for error! It was the tallest skyscraper in London when it was finished in 1929. Of all the listed buildings in London only 2.5% achieve grade 1 status, this is one of them.

Lifts:


I love the symmetry and perspective of the halls:


To be honest most of the upper floors were quite boring, the central cruciform hallways & corridors being the best bits:


There were Gent's on every floor, but Ladies on every third floor!




Original water feature, now decommissioned.


Walnut panelled corridors:





Looking straight up at the ceiling:


The view out on to the balcony was nice, but this was still only half way up to the flagpole...





Oh hello, what's in here?


A strongroom with, what I can only assume is the world's most valuable ladder:

There's a lovely little deck at the 10th floor:
Here's the staff hanging out on 3rd June 1946 (VE Day)


It's now been covered in sedum and PV panels, but you can see the same bit of roof in the background:


Looking back at the clock:


Signage:


Luckily I never learned to read or write:


Old signage on the stairwells:


Last few stairs up the clock tower:


I love that the hoppers even have roundels on them!


The view that greets you as you summit onto the roof:


Looking West:


Looking Central:
I live in the countryside, this is how I always imagined big cities look, and I was right



Thanks for reading. Video coming soon!
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