Tower Garage

PLAN: The building is set back from the roadside on a large forecourt and has a circular plan formed of a central rotunda with a saucer-shaped canopy above.

EXTERIOR: Tower Garage consists of a reinforced concrete rotunda incorporating large glazed panels set within timber frames with timber cladding above and below. All the timberwork is painted black. The rotunda incorporates a projection to the west side with a central doorway. Further entrances with large, concertina-style, glazed timber doors exist to the north-east and south-east corners, which originally allowed cars to be moved in and out of the showroom. The glazing to the west projection was originally convex, but this has since been replaced by flat panes. Above the rotunda, and forming its roof, is a massive, saucer-shaped, reinforced concrete canopy that extends upwards and outwards and is supported by a series of painted reinforced concrete columns within the rotunda interior, but is cantilevered externally. Six petrol pumps were originally arranged around the building underneath the canopy to shelter motorists, but these were removed in the late 1970s. A series of strip lights that were originally located to the underside of the canopy have also been removed. Above the canopy and hidden from view is a secondary, early C21, pitched roof constructed of felt and wooden battens that has been added to prevent leaks.

INTERIOR: Originally the rotunda was subdivided internally by partition walls, with sales and administrative offices located at the front of the building and a showroom to the rear. The internal walls and original teak and mahogany sales kiosk have all been removed, along with toilets, and a later inserted suspended ceiling. The original linoleum floor has been replaced by a terrazzo floor and a modern, circular deli counter has been installed to the centre of the rotunda. The ceiling incorporates a series of four, original circular skylights to the western side; it is believed that originally there were approximately eight skylights and that some have since been blocked-up.