K6 Telephone Kiosk

K6 telephone kiosk. This standardised design from around 1935 was constructed from cast iron, painted red overall, with long horizontal glazing in the door and sides. The crowns on the top panels are applied, not perforated. Rectangular white display signs bear the word “TELEPHONE” beneath the shallow curved roof. The interior contains modernised equipment.

The kiosk is situated at the junction of South Molton Street and Brook Street in Mayfair, and has a notable visual connection with three listed buildings on Brook Street: Nos. 37, Nos. 41-43, and No. 22 Avery Row. A listed bollard is also located nearby.

The K6 telephone kiosk represents a significant moment in 20th-century industrial design. Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott for the General Post Office to commemorate King George V’s Silver Jubilee, it evolved from his earlier K2 telephone kiosk of 1924, which drew inspiration from Neoclassical architecture. The K6 was more streamlined, compact, and cost-effective to mass-produce. Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960) was a prominent British architect responsible for numerous significant projects, including Liverpool Cathedral and Battersea Power Station. The K2 and K6 kiosks showcase a thoughtful blend of architectural tradition and contemporary technological requirements. Production exceeded 70,000 units, although many were replaced with simpler designs in the 1960s.

The kiosk is designated for its strong visual relationship with surrounding listed buildings and a listed bollard, and for its artistic and functional qualities, along with its iconic status as a notable example of 20th-century industrial design.