Institute Of Directors

TQ 2980 SE CITY OF WESTMINSTER PALL MALL, SW1 82/44 (south side) 5.2.70 Nos 116 to 119 (consec) (Institute of Directors) (formerly listed as United Services Club) G.V. I Former Gentlemen's Club. 1826-28 by John Nash with remodelling by Burton in 1858-59 and extended to east by Thompson and Walford 1912-13. Stucco with rusticated ground floor, slate roof. Graeco-Roman, Nash's design with a more Augustan bias than Burton's Athenaeum which it balances, part of the southern termination of Nash's Via Triumphalis following the demolition of Carlton House. 2 principal storeys on basement and dormered mansard, 13 windows wide to Pall Mall, the 7 window tripartite composition with 3-window wide 2 storey central entrance portico being Nash's original; 7 window wide fronts to Waterloo Place and Carlton House Terrace. The projecting 2 storey pedimented portico has paired fluted Roman Doric columns to porch and Corinthian (originally unfluted) columns to upper portico surmounted by pediment with sculpture added by Burton. Ground floor recessed plate glass sashes have eared architraves with Piron head masks centred above, framed in segmental arched recesses with scrolled keystones - all detailing added by Burton; 1st floor windows, with architraves edged by panelled strips and consoles carrying pediments, rising from pedestal course of Nash's ground floor entablature with blind balustrades below sills. The frieze, below the main cornice and crowning balustraded parapet, enriched with Italianate scrolls and cartouches by Burton. Waterloo Place front similar but Nash's portico removed by Burton who however left the Roman Doric south portico to Carlton House Terrace front in situ. Burton added the stone area balustrade with cast iron cornice surmounted by cast iron Grecian gas lampstandards with "tazza" burners. Sumptuous interiors composed about grand stone staircase rising in one flight and returning in two to the 1st floor gallery-landing with coved ceiling and side-light lantern (rebuilt after war damage). Behind the garden front lie the two splendid tripartite apartments of the smoking-room on the ground floor and the library on the 1st floor with scagliola dividing columns; etc. Survey of London; Vol. XXIX.

Listing NGR: TQ2975980353