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27/02/2003
Twentieth Century Society stands alone
in fight to save Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is seeking
planning permission and listed building consent for
a new building by Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, which
will demolish part of its Grade II listed complex on
Kensington Gore.
The Twentieth Century Society is objecting
to the proposal which would completely obscure the east
elevation of the Darwin Building, the most conspicuous
part of the listed building of 1962, and also ruin the
crucial spatial relationship carefully planned by the
original architect between the College, the Royal Albert
Hall, the Royal College of Organists and Norman Shaw’s
Albert Hall Mansions. Although English Heritage and
the City of Westminster have endorsed the proposals,
the Twentieth Century Society believes that beyond being
an undesirable alteration to a modern listed building,
this is a case of national significance in urban design
terms. The College will only gain a limited amount of
space, insufficient to bring all its operations onto
a single site, at the cost of spoiling one of Britain’s
major public spaces.
H T Cadbury-Brown, the building’s
original architect, said of the proposed Ellipse building:
"It seems to be mocking the existing
buildings. I think it would be an absolute disaster
if this building was made. It’s a very cheeky thing
to put up against the Albert Hall, and at an angle too."
In 1964, the critic Ian Nairn wrote
of the original College building: "It has the greatness
and stature that so many of the physically great new
buildings of London so conspicuously lack."
For further
information and images please contact Claire Barrett
on 020 7250 3857 or email at claire.barrett@c20society.org.uk
H T Cadbury-Brown on 01728 452591
Barry Ward, Planning Officer, City of Westminster on
020 7641 2932
Note to Editors
The Royal College of Art was designed between 1960-63
by HT Cadbury-Brown, in association with Hugh Casson
and Robert Gooden. All three taught at the College.
It won the prestigious RIBA Bronze Medal for London
Architecture in 1963 and was listed at Grade II in 2001.
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