Tower Buildings

Tower Buildings

Entertainment complex built 1891–94 on Blackpool Promenade, designed by architects Maxwell and Tuke with engineer R.J.G. Reade and contractors Heenan and Froude. The complex consists of an imitation Eiffel Tower surrounded by a brick-faced quadrilateral block of three unequal storeys. The principal functions are the Ballroom over a ground floor cafe at the north end, the Circus in the centre, and the aquarium on the ground floor with Roof Gardens on the top floor of the south end.

The Tower itself is constructed of open steel girders on a square plan. Four concrete foundation blocks, each 35 feet square and 12 feet thick, with rolled steel joists and steel bedplates support four square-braced stanchions. Each stanchion consists of four pillars braced together with lattice girders, tapering in height from 100 feet width at the base to 30 feet width under the main gallery. The main gallery is enclosed in glass, with three open galleries above. An ogee-shaped cap topped with a flagmast terminates 518 feet above ground.

The Ballroom originally served as a promenade and concert room. It was enlarged and reconstructed in 1899 by Maxwell and Tuke with decoration by Frank Matcham, executed by De Jong. Following fire damage, it was restored in 1956 by Andrew Mazzei. The ballroom has a rectangular plan along the north side of the Tower buildings, rising from first floor level, with galleries on two levels along the north, west and south sides and a proscenium at the east end. Seven bays contain square columns passing through the galleries, topped by winged herms between cross vaults bearing overhanging convex balustrades over each bay. Panels within the vaults are decorated with cartouches displaying the names of composers. The first gallery is straight, while the second gallery is composed of convex bays passing the columns and curves round the west end of the ballroom, both faced with rocaille mouldings. At the east end the galleries terminate in a squinch-set box with an onion dome, with openings now screened with curvilinear lattice. The proscenium is rectangular, containing canted wings with doorways, flanked by fluted columns and a canopy with lattice and rocaille moulding. The canopy bears a curved and lettered cornice and a massive swan-neck pediment with the Three Graces between. The vaulted ceiling contains large rocaille panels with Baroque paintings and an oval-ended skylight in the centre.

The Circus, originally in Chinese style when built 1891–94 by Maxwell and Tuke, was remodelled in 1900 (probably by Frank Matcham) in Islamic style. The arena has a square plan between the feet of the Tower, rising from basement level and incorporating the innermost stanchion of each leg and the inner of each pair of arched braces between stanchions. These structural elements are incorporated into a comprehensively Moorish-Islamic design. The arches have soffits cusped in a vigorously rhythmic sequence of multifoil arches, with matching but subdued patterns in relief on the sides. Pendentives are filled with five-sided and inverted-pyramidal structures of composite design, with cusp-profiled horseshoe openings above. The base of the stanchions is boxed with marble slabs. Recessed straight-fronted balconies under arches at springer level are decorated with low relief patterns of interlacing arches. A screened mezzanine balcony on the north side has seven fretted windows. Boxes are incorporated with the stanchions, square at the south east corner and convex at the north west, with scallop-shell and foliated moulding on the front. The dado of the promenade behind the seating is lined with glazed tiles with geometrical patterns. Other wall surfaces and the ceiling are decorated with calligraphic detail, interlaced arches, stylized scallops, fan patterns and similar ornament. A reservoir under the ring accommodates aquatic displays.

The Roof Garden, now a free-flight aviary, occupies the south side of the roof of the Tower buildings. It consists of two parallel and adjoining pitched roofs of glass on an iron frame, spanning eight bays. Slim composite columns with stiff-leaf capitals support semi-circular longitudinal arcading with cross-braced girders above. Semi-circular roof braces spring from corbels at spandrel level of the columns, with arabesque open work in the spandrels and at the apex. A clerestory of plain windows with glazing bars runs over the south arcade, with a segmental aisle, glass-covered and descending to eaves level of the outer wall.

The interior of other parts of the Tower building has undergone successive alterations in function and decoration, with fragments of earlier chinoiserie remaining on the top floor on the west side. A massive staircase in red terracotta, rising from the main entrance on the west side, survives intact.