No. 219 Oxford Street

This mixed retail and office building of 1951-2 is situated on the corner of Oxford Street and Hills Terrace.

MATERIALS: the building is steel-framed and clad in pre-cast stone panels, with metal-framed windows.

PLAN: the building has five storeys and a basement. At each floor there is a single corner room (now opened through into No. 215-217 Oxford Street on all but the first floor). A stair to the south (now used as a fire escape) runs the full height of the building, giving access to each of the rooms. There is a small WC on each half-landing.

EXTERIOR: the Oxford Street elevation turns with a curved corner into the Hills Terrace elevation, and continuous bands of metal-framed windows to the upper four floors wrap around the two elevations. The ground floor acts as a fully-glazed corner shop window (this arrangement replacing the original shop front), with a fascia recess above. The original entrance is on Hills Terrace; there is a recessed, glazed, hardwood, door with a yellow ochre tiled surround, which includes a tile with the date of the building and name of the architects.

The east side of the Oxford Street elevation has three cast stone reliefs, one at the end of each band of fenestration to the upper three floors. The reliefs depict subjects relating to the Festival of Britain, and are by David Trussler. The second-floor relief depicts the Dome of Discovery and the Skylon, along with nautical instruments and emblems; the third-floor relief reproduces the Festival logo, designed by Abram Games; and the fourth-floor relief depicts the Festival Hall and Shot Tower, along with musical instruments.

INTERIOR: the staircase is open with curvilinear metal balustrading and hand rail, with a terrazzo floor. At each level the corner room has been fitted-out for its modern function. The interior of the building, with the exception of the staircase, is not of special interest.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 28/06/2018