Centre Point will forever be linked with the “Swinging Sixties” in London. The 33 storey office tower, designed by the architects Richard Seifert and Partners, was built between 1961 and 1966 and was notorious for remaining empty until 1975 due to property economics at the time and the aspiration of the developer to let the building to one tenant, which was never achieved and it was eventually leased to a number of occupants including the CBI. You either loved it or hated it, it is now a grade II listed building and in 2009 the building won the Concrete Society’s Mature Structures Award.
The building is now 50 years old and undergoing a make-over. With the improvements to Tottenham Court Road station as part of the Crossrail project, the area around it will become a major transport intersection and destination “hub” and the building will no longer be blighted in the middle of a traffic island. The vision is “to breathe new life into the West End, with Centre Point and its linking buildings to be the vibrant focal point between Covent Garden and Oxford Street.”
Outside the building, part of the old road system will be replaced with a new public urban square to join the building to Oxford Street and to Tottenham Court Road station. Centre Point and its lower buildings are being converted into 82 residential apartments at the upper levels with new shops and restaurants at the lower levels. The 60’s concrete façade will be cleaned and restored to the landmark it once was, with sustainability being a key objective. A block of 13 affordable housing units will also be constructed on site – what a fantastic place to live if you enjoy the nightlife of London.
Given its prominent location in an area that is as busy at night as it is during the day, the lighting design for this landmark building will make a huge impact on the nighttime feel of the area. Speirs + Major have been appointed to design the lighting in conjunction with the architects Conran + Partners, Rick Mather Architects and the landscape architects Gillespies.
“We intend to transform the way Londoners view and interact with Centre Point, while always staying true to its heritage. Our ambition is to ensure the scheme is re-established as a landmark destination that Londoners can be proud of.” (Mike Hussey, Almacantar Chief Executive)
