OPEN HOUSE LONDON: 55 Broadway (London Underground Head Office)
Channel: Londisland
Date: 2019-09-26

OPEN HOUSE LONDON: 55 Broadway (London Underground Head Office)

55 Broadway is associated with "London Transport" under its postal name, and also enjoys a much wider architectural reputation. Yet the building – because of its location – is, undeservedly, relatively unknown, even to Londoners.

55 Broadway was constructed between 1927 and 1929. The building is supported by 700 concrete piles sunk to an average depth of 12m (40 feet) below basement level. Nineteen massive load-bearing steel girders span the railway, and special insulation was used to reduce vibration from the trains. Above ground, the building was constructed around a steel girder skeleton (supplied and constructed by Rubery, Owen of Darlaston, Staffordshire) and faced with 2,200 cubic metres (78,000 cubic feet) of high quality Portland stone. This was a material much used by Holden (although in later Underground buildings he would become famous for the use of reinforced concrete and brickwork) and much attention was taken as to the precise cutting and dressing of the stone so as to ensure subtle details would be enhanced and weathering would help develop the 'look' of the building. 

As well as Portland stone use was made of Norwegian granite for the plinth facings and black Belgian marble for the column capitals at low level. In addition there was extensive use of decorative bronze features throughout the building.
The façades were embellished with decorative drawings, carved in-situ. Two are just above the street level – Night and Day by Jacob Epstein – and a further eight, representing the Four Winds, are above the sixth floor level on each side of all four wings. These are by Eric Gill (3), Henry Moore, A H Garrard, Eric Aumonier, Allan Wyon and F Rabinovitch. They are among the most celebrated public sculptures of the twentieth century and, indeed, the Epsteins provoked considerable outcry at the time of construction.

The bold appearance of the building is enhanced by the progressive stepping back, and the central tower further echoes the uneven 'pyramid' effect. This design, above the eighth floor, was an answer to the "London Building Act" requirements – and the building was felt by many to be very 'American' in style.

Adams, Holden and Pearson won the London Architectural Medal, awarded by the RIBA, for 55 Broadway in 1929 and Holden was to receive the RIBA Gold Medal in 1936. As well as his works for the Underground Holden was also architect for other, significant, buildings – including the Bristol Central Library (1902), the British Medical Association headquarters (now Zimbabwe House) on the Strand (1907) and Senate House for the University of London (1931). He also did much work for the Imperial War Graves Commission after the First World War.

Now over eighty years old 55 Broadway still serves as the principal offices of London Underground. The building was directly hit during the Blitz in 1941 but carefully reconstructed in Portland stone after wartime brick repair. It has been extensively refurbished, most notably the ground floor alterations of the late-1980s by Manser and Partners. These broke public access to the principal north-south axis, and also created a small shopping arcade at ground level. This work was done to a high standard using much of the original material and design features. The major services have also been renewed – one feature that had become troublesome was the underfloor heating and this was removed and replaced by more conventional systems in 1986/87.
However many features survive, especially decorative features and furniture details, and these include: 
- In reception areas clad in travertine marble with the original train frequency indicators and Tube diagram cases 
- The principal staircase with decorative balustrade 
- The lift lobbies, clad in travertine marble, with lift façades, the"Cutler" mail system on some floors, and drinking fountains 
- The seventh floor senior offices suites – the Chairman's Office (Room 727) and part of the Deputy Chairman's suite of rooms 
- The tenth floor gardens and meeting room, the latter once forming the "Executive Officers Dining Room"
55 Broadway remains one of London's most significant commercial buildings and is still an important building for the Underground system that serves the city, its inhabitants and visitors.

Filmed in September, 2018