British Library joins a select club of buildings awarded the highest listed status
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Version 0 of 1. It took almost four decades to complete at a cost of over £500m and faced a barrage of criticism for its modernist red-brick design from figures including Prince Charles. Today the British Library building and its architects have had the last laugh as it joins a select club of buildings awarded the highest listed status. Heritage minister Tracey Crouch awarded the site on Euston Road, London Grade I status “due to its architectural excellence, quality of materials and design ethic”. Jamie Andrews, head of cultural engagement at the British Library, said it was “great news”. “It’s an acknowledgment of the boldness of the vision and a recognition of how well it’s working. We’ve always believed in the building and it inspires those of us who work there.” Of the 377,000 listed buildings in England, just 2.5 per cent of them are Grade I. One senior architect said: “It is a big deal to list something this recent, it is a real statement – though I think Grade I may be overdoing it.” The British Library as seen from above (PA) The brief for the first purpose-built headquarters for the British Library was issued in 1962 which was originally designed by architect Sir Colin St John Wilson – who referred to the experience as the “30-years’ war” – and his partner MJ Long. Construction started in 1982. During building, Prince Charles said the design was like “an academy for secret police” in a BBC documentary, while a Commons select committee report went further, calling it “one of the ugliest buildings in the world”. Yet when the Queen opened the building – the biggest public building to be constructed in Britain in the 20th century – in 1998, she said it was “remarkable”. The then Culture Secretary Chris Smith later that “many of the critics had now had a change of heart and recognised it as a great architectural achievement”. It opened a decade late, with a price tag of £520m. Construction of the British library began in 1982 (PA) Ms Crouch said: “The British Library divided opinion from the moment its design was revealed, but I am glad that expert advice now allows me to list it, ensuring that its iconic design is protected for future generations to enjoy.” Rolfe Kentish of Long & Kentish Architects worked on the building and said the listing was “something to be proud of”. He added: “It was frustrating it took so long but we carried on working on it all the time, so maybe the level of detail would not have been there if it had been finished earlier.” The building is popular with the public. There were 1.6 million visits last year, up 10 per cent on 2013. Rory Olcayto, editor of The Architects’ Journal, said: “For all the criticism its exterior form has drawn, it is extremely well put together – and the architects’ use of brick instead of concrete was a canny move. It humanised the library, made it more welcoming, so despite its monolithic scale, it feels comfortable, even friendly.” Today’s listing coincides with the listing of seven UK libraries given Grade II status, including the Suffolk Record Office and Bebington Central Library in the Wirral. Suffolk Record Office, Bury St Edmunds (1963-5) Conservative style was appropriate for a new structure on old Cathedral grounds. Suffolk Record Office (PA) Chichester Library, West Sussex (1965-6) Building consists of 72 concrete portals, erected around a central drum of red bricks. West Sussex Library (PA) Bebington Central Library, The Wirral (1967-71) Features giant porthole windows which act as a nautical reference in keeping with its coastal location. Bebington Central Library, Wirral (PA) Milton Keynes Central Library (1979-81) Commanding facade with its geometric brick colonnade. Chandler’s Ford Library, Hampshire (1981-2) Colourful and airy thanks to Terry Riggs’ design. Chandler's Ford Library, Hampshire (PA) Bourne Hall Library & Social Centre, Epsom, Surrey (1967-70) An ambitious example of expansion of library service. Lillington Library, Leamington Spa (1959-60) A postwar branch library that boasts a Festival of Britain style. Lillington Library, Warwickshire |