Brunswick Centre
Encyclopedia
The Brunswick Centre is a grade II listed residential and shopping centre in Bloomsbury
, Camden
, London
, England
, located between Brunswick Square
and Russell Square
.
It was designed by Patrick Hodgkinson in the mid-1960s, based on studies by Leslie Martin
. It was initially planned as a private development at a time when private, mixed-use development in the UK was rare. Building started in 1967 and was completed in 1972, though the building fell some way short of its intended size. The original plan extended up to Euston Road
but the Ministry of Defence would not release the site of a building they leased for use by the Territorial Army (and that still stands next to the Centre today).
After failing to attract sufficient private buyers on time, the residential section was leased to the London Borough of Camden
for use as council housing, while the developer retained ownership of the structure and shopping areas. The exterior of the building was never painted because the Borough
could not afford to complete work on the building after they took control. In Hodgkinson's design, the blocks would have been painted cream, a shade typical of the Georgian period, as a homage to the terraced houses that previously stood on the site and those that still surround it.
Despite being widely disliked by those who are unsympathetic to modernist architecture, it achieved Grade II status in 2000. By this time, however, many of its shop premises were unoccupied. Plans for renovation had repeatedly been blocked by residents' committees but in November 2002, the much-needed £22 million work began. This included the painting of the blocks in their originally-planned colour and the commissioning of artist Susanna Heron to introduce water to the central space . The major work was completed in late 2006 with the opening of branches of several high street chain stores and restaurants. The dual management has caused problems though, as the landlord restored the structure of the estate but the council is responsible for maintenance of the residential properties - so while the concrete structure was restored, the windows remained untouched, detracting from the overall aesthetic of the development. In 2007, the council started work on replacing the windows that has resulted in the residents having scaffolding outside their flats for the second time in just a few years.
Now referring to itself as The Brunswick, the centre contains 560 flats, various shops, cafés and restaurants, a Waitrose
supermarket, and the Renoir Cinema (one of London's Curzon Cinemas group).
,
The Comic Strip
, Crime Traveller
, Gangster No. 1
, the BBC’s skateboarders trailer and Egg Card’s guineapig advert.
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
, Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, located between Brunswick Square
Brunswick Square
Brunswick Square is a public garden in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden. It is overlooked by the School of Pharmacy and the Foundling Museum to the north and the Brunswick Centre to the west...
and Russell Square
Russell Square
Russell Square is a large garden square in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden. It is near the University of London's main buildings and the British Museum. To the north is Woburn Place and to the south-east is Southampton Row...
.
Leslie Martin
Sir John Leslie Martin KBE was an English Architect. A leading advocate of the International Style....
. It was initially planned as a private development at a time when private, mixed-use development in the UK was rare. Building started in 1967 and was completed in 1972, though the building fell some way short of its intended size. The original plan extended up to Euston Road
Euston Road
Euston Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, England, and forms part of the A501. It is part of the New Road from Paddington to Islington, and was opened as part of the New Road in 1756...
but the Ministry of Defence would not release the site of a building they leased for use by the Territorial Army (and that still stands next to the Centre today).
After failing to attract sufficient private buyers on time, the residential section was leased to the London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
for use as council housing, while the developer retained ownership of the structure and shopping areas. The exterior of the building was never painted because the Borough
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
could not afford to complete work on the building after they took control. In Hodgkinson's design, the blocks would have been painted cream, a shade typical of the Georgian period, as a homage to the terraced houses that previously stood on the site and those that still surround it.
Despite being widely disliked by those who are unsympathetic to modernist architecture, it achieved Grade II status in 2000. By this time, however, many of its shop premises were unoccupied. Plans for renovation had repeatedly been blocked by residents' committees but in November 2002, the much-needed £22 million work began. This included the painting of the blocks in their originally-planned colour and the commissioning of artist Susanna Heron to introduce water to the central space . The major work was completed in late 2006 with the opening of branches of several high street chain stores and restaurants. The dual management has caused problems though, as the landlord restored the structure of the estate but the council is responsible for maintenance of the residential properties - so while the concrete structure was restored, the windows remained untouched, detracting from the overall aesthetic of the development. In 2007, the council started work on replacing the windows that has resulted in the residents having scaffolding outside their flats for the second time in just a few years.
Now referring to itself as The Brunswick, the centre contains 560 flats, various shops, cafés and restaurants, a Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
supermarket, and the Renoir Cinema (one of London's Curzon Cinemas group).
Appearances in popular culture
The centre is regularly used as a location for films, TV, photography and music videos including Alexei Sayle's StuffAlexei Sayle's Stuff
Alexei Sayle's Stuff is a comedy sketch show which ran on BBC2 for a total of 18 episodes over 3 series from 1988 to 1991.-Cast:Alexei Sayle's Stuff stars stand-up comedian Alexei Sayle, with a recurring cast including Angus Deayton, Mark Williams, Arabella Weir, Tony Millan, Jan Ravens, Owen...
,
The Comic Strip
The Comic Strip
The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, known for their television series The Comic Strip Presents.... The core members are Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Peter Richardson and Jennifer Saunders, with frequent appearances by Keith Allen, Robbie Coltrane and...
, Crime Traveller
Crime Traveller
Crime Traveller is a 1997 science fiction detective television series produced by Carnival Films for the BBC based on the premise of using time travel for the purpose of solving crimes....
, Gangster No. 1
Gangster No. 1
Gangster No. 1 is a 2000 British crime film. It stars Malcolm McDowell, David Thewlis and Paul Bettany and was directed by Paul McGuigan.- Cast :*Malcolm McDowell as Gangster 55*David Thewlis as Freddie Mays*Paul Bettany as Young Gangster...
, the BBC’s skateboarders trailer and Egg Card’s guineapig advert.
- Jack NicholsonJack NicholsonJohn Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
strolls along the concourse and down the main staircase (now demolished) in the 1975 film The PassengerThe Passenger (film)The Passenger is a film directed and co-written by Michelangelo Antonioni, released in 1975, in which Jack Nicholson stars as a television reporter in Africa who assumes the identity of a dead stranger. The film competed for the "Palme d'Or" award at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:*Jack...
. - MansunMansunMansun were an English alternative rock band formed in Chester in 1995. The band comprised vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper, bassist Stove King, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dominic Chad, and drummer Andie Rathbone. The band broke up in May 2003....
's music video for "Wide Open Space" was filmed at the centre. - LodgerLodger (British band)Lodger were a British indie rock supergroup containing members of Powder, Supergrass, and Delicatessen. They released three singles and an album in 1998 before the members went on to different projects.-History:...
wrote a song dedicated to the building.
See also
- St George's Fields (Bayswater, London)St George's Fields (Bayswater, London)St George's Fields are a former burial ground of St George's, Hanover Square, lying between Connaught Street and Bayswater Road de-consecrated and sold off by the Church Commissioners in the 1970s to be built upon by a housing trust....
. - Alexandra Road estateAlexandra Road estateThe Alexandra Road estate, properly known as the Alexandra and Ainsworth estate, but more commonly, and erroneously, referred to as simply Rowley Way, is a housing estate in the London Borough of Camden, North West London, England. It was designed in 1968 by Neave Brown of Camden Council's...
. A building of similar ziggurat design by Neave Brown. - Balfron TowerBalfron TowerBalfron Tower is a 27-storey housing block in Poplar, a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London, UK. It forms part of the Brownfield Estate, an area of social housing between Chrisp Street Market and the A12 northern approach to the Blackwall Tunnel...
.