Description

TQ 3080 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTER WHITEHALL SW1
83/67 (East side)
5.2.70 War Office
(Ministry of Defence)
GV II*
Government offices. 1898 by William Young, completed 1907, after latter's death
in 1901, by his son Clyde Young and Sir John Taylor. Portland stone, slate and
leaded roofs. The 2nd of the vast government office blocks begun in 1898,
related to Brydon's design,using similar English Baroque references, if rather
cramped in composition, distinguished by the bowed corner pavilions surmounted
by Baroque cupolas which disguise the irregular plan of the deep island site;
the cupolas an essential part of the Whitehall roofscape, in particular when
viewed from St. James's Park. 5 storeys comprising ground floor and mezzanine-
1st floor,on basement,as podium to 2 main storeys with attic storey above; the
corner pavilions surmounted by 2-tier cupolas. 9-bay centre block flanked by
one bay aediculed pavilions and with 3-window bowed corner pavilions. Channelled
wall plane, ashlar orders and dressings in bold relief. Main entrance has
tetrastyle portico with rusticated Doric columns, deep entablature and parapet
with coat of arms. Recessed glazing bar sashes, those in 2 main storeys in
Gibbs surrounds, set in giant Ionic colonnade to main block and similar to
bowed corners, the segmental pedimented and Ionic pilastered aedicule-pavilions
framing large rusticated Venetian windows. Deep entablature over 3rd floor;
blind attic over main block, stepped up behind aedicule-pavilions with large
figure sculpture on segmental pediments; architraved attic windows to bowed
corners; the stone domed cupolas have pairs of columns diagonally set to their
main stages Similar details to other elevations, the Horse Guards Avenue
front with central triple archway to main courtyard. The Whitehall entrance
leads through a low hall to an ambitious main staircase of the grand club type
starting in one flight and dividing to rise along 3 walls of glazed dome
compartment; offices have 13 reset C18 marble chimney pieces acquired in
1904 from former War Office premises in Pall Mall; etc.
Edwardian Architecture: Alistair Service
London. Vol I; N Pevsner
Country Life, vol 135 (14 May 1964)

Listing NGR: TQ3016280156

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q58454576

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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