Philharmonic Hall (Including Detached Poster Piers To South West And North West)

SJ 3589 NE HOPE STREET (east side) L1

57/629 Philharmonic Hall (Including detached 19.3.81 poster-piers to South-West and North-West)

• II*

Concert hall. 1937-9. Herbert Rowse. Fawn brick facing. Style influenced by Dutch expressionism, particularly Dudok, with engraved glass and other decoration in French taste of 1920s. Mainly of 3-storey height with receding tiers of parapets. Symmetrical front: between semi-circular stair turrets and above canopied entrance are 7 large vertical metal windows separated by piers topped by jagged abstract motifs. Interior: Auditorium walls and ceiling arc moulded in curved series of undulations continuing to the back of the stage. The stalls do not extend beyond the shallow curve of the gallery front, beneath which sheer wooden facing is wrapped round a series of recesses (quasiboxes) which continue along side walls. The only decoration of the auditorium is by 3 semi-draped incised figures on each wall and geometric perforations in walls of stage. Bar above entrance hall has low relief decorative panels and wooden counter.

Detached piers are each clasped by top-lit poster panels, beneath which extends plinth with rounded end.

Listing NGR: SJ3562589815