Broadcasting House

Broadcasting House adalah ibu pejabat dan pejabat berdaftar dari BBC di Portland Place dan Langham Place, London, England.

Arkitek George Val Myer reka bentuk bangunan dengan kolaborasi degan jurutera sivil BBD, M T Tudsbery. Bahagian dalam adalah tugas arkitek Australia berketurunan Irish Raymond McGrath. Dia mendirikan dan mengarah satu pasukan yang termasuk Serge Chermayeff dan Wells Coates dan reka bentuk studio vaudeville, berkaitan hijau dan bilik dressing, dan studio tarian dan bilik muzik dalam gaya Art Deco yang mengalir. Ia kemudian dikatakan pada usahanya bahawa "reka bentuk untuk BBC memberikan fillip benar pada reka bentuk industri di England". Broadcasting House telah dibuka pada Mei 14, 1932 dan kini senarai grade II*.

Di hadapan bangunan adalah patung Prospero dan Ariel (dari Shakespeare's The Tempest) oleh Eric Gill. Pilihan mereka adalah pemuatan sejak Prospero adalah seorang ahli ajaib, dan Ariel, seorang roh di angkasa, di mana gelombang radio mengembara. Di sana, dilaporkan, berkontroversi ke atas sesetengah ciri patung apabila pertama kali dibina dan mereka dikatakan telah dimodifikasikan berikutnya. Mereka dilaporkan telah diukir oleh Gill sebagai Tuhan dan Manusia, daripada hanya Prospero dan Ariel, dan bahawa adanya gambar berukir kecil pada seorang perempuan cantik di belakang patung Prospero. Sumber-sumber lain mendakwa bahawa Gill berniat mereka sebagai Tuhan Bapa dan Anak, seperti disokong oleh bahagian luar bangunan di banyak bas-reliefs .

Kegunaan kini 
Broadcasting House is home to BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, and BBC Radio 7 and also houses the BBC Radio Theatre, where music and speech programmes (typically comedy for BBC Radio 4) are recorded in front of a studio audience. Next door in Western House is BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music and nearby on Great Portland Street in Yalding House is BBC Radio 1 and BBC 1Xtra. About 5 miles west in BBC Television Centre, London is the home base of BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra. The BBC Asian Network is based at St Nicholas Place, Leicester at the BBC Radio Leicester Studios with programming coming from the BBC Birmingham Studios in The Mailbox.

Renovation project 

Broadcasting House is undergoing a major renovation. It was initially scheduled for completion in 2009/2010, but is now expected to be finished in 2011. As part of a reorganisation of BBC property, Broadcasting House is to become home to BBC News (both television and radio), which will move from the News Centre at Television Centre; national radio; and the BBC World Service, which will move from Bush House.

The main part of this plan involved the demolition of the two post-war extensions to the building in 2005 and the construction of a new building, to be equal in "architectural creativity", besides the existing structure. The design of the new extension was carried out by MacCormac Jamieson Prichard. A separate extension, named the Egton Wing, was completed in 2005 and bears similarities to the shape of the original building. A sculpture commissioned by the BBC has been added to the roof of the building in memory of the journalists who have died while working "in the field".

The original architects have since been sacked and replaced by the BBC for not agreeing to cost-related revisions (Sir Richard MacCormac was unwilling to sacrifice the quality of his design). While the rebuilding process is being undertaken many of the BBC Radio networks have moved to other buildings near Portland Place. The construction work is being carried out by Bovis Lend Lease.

BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music have moved their studios from Broadcasting House to newly built studios in the adjoining Western House. 

Queen Elizabeth II visited Broadcasting House on 20 April 2006 as part of her 80th birthday celebrations and to open officially the redeveloped Broadcasting House.

The remaining work now involves refurbishment of the Radio Theatre and other studios around the building.

There is a rumour that a secret platform to the London Underground exists beneath Broadcasting House. The building is situated above the Bakerloo line, which follows the path of Regent Street from Piccadilly Circus to Regent's Park. London Underground deny the rumour, claiming that no records of such a platform exist.

Memorial Wartawan 

Sebuah memorial, yang dipanggil Breathing, telah dibina di atas bumbung bangunan Broadcasting House untuk memperingati wartawan-wartawan yang telah terbunuh semasa bertugas. Memorial tersebut berbentuk tiang setinggi 10m dan mempunyai ruangan di tengah yang diperbuat daripada kaca dan juga dihiasi dengan puisi James Fenton. Pukul 10 malam setiap hari the memorial shines a column of light into the sky. Ia dirasmikan pada 16 Jun 2008 oleh Setiausaha Agung PBB Ban Ki-Moon, dan turut dipuji sebagai "penghormatan yang sesuai".

References

External links 

  (redevelopment)
 BBC Press Office - Broadcasting House
 History of the BBC - Broadcasting House
 BBC Radio 4 documentary on Broadcasting House, broadcast 18 March 2006, entitled "The Home of Radio" on The Archive Hour
 Broadcasting House - a potted history
 Broadcasting House in 1932
 Article on construction of the facade to the redevelopment 
 

BBC offices, studios and buildings
Cultural and educational buildings in London
London media
Grade II* listed buildings in London
History of radio
History of broadcasting
Buildings and structures in Westminster
Media and communications in Westminster
Art Deco buildings in London
Media company headquarters