British Columbia House

TQ 2980 SE 82/14

CITY OF WESTMINSTER LOWER REGENT STREET, SW1 (West side) Nos. 1 and 3 (British Columbia House)

(formerly listed under Regent Street)

22.11.73

GV II Large office block. c.1914 by Alfred Burr. Portland stone ashlar with rusticated quoins. Rich Baroque with both Roman and Genoese palazzo features composed on a large scale. Five storeys and dormered attic. Nine windows wide, symmetrical except for slightly advanced secondary entrance bay to right. Five-window return to Charles II Street. Ground floor has main central entrance (to No. 3) with large, enclosed and rusticated porch with semicircular arched opening with cartouche ornamented side piers and segmental pediment, framing the Arms of British Columbia, surmounted by carved group of allegorical figures. Pedimented right hand secondary entrance to No. 3. The ground floor display windows are articulated by engaged Ionic columns carrying entablature. Upper floors have architraved recessed casements; those on first floor with alternating triangular and segmental pediments carried by engaged Ionic columns; those on second floor with cornices. Above the main central entrance however the first and second floor windows are carried up as a canted bay. Secondary cornice-sill course to fourth floor which has carved panels between the windows depicting the products of British Columbia. Prominent crowning cornice on console brackets. Dormers in bronze surrounds let-in to roof. Tall corniced chimney stacks. Cast iron ornate balconettes to first floor. Similar return to Charles II Street with main entrances to No. 1 in left hand bay.

Listing NGR: TQ2961780440