Royal Horticultural Society New Hall

TQ 2978 NE and 2979 SE CITY OF WESTMINSTER GREYCOAT STREET, SW1 100/25 ;105/1 24.5.83 Royal Horticultural society New Hall __ II* Exhibition hall. 1923-28 by Murray Easton and Howard Robertson. Brown brick and stone entrance administrative block behind which is the innovatory concrete framed exhibition hall with brick infill. The forebuilding has an early stripped-classical modern facade. 5 storeys including mezzanines to 1st and 4th floors. 6-window wide centre between slightly advanced end bays. Ground floor of centre, with range of glazed doorways at head of steps and mezzanine above, are advanced in segmental curve and are both stone faced. The brick faced stone banded upper floors have plain stone surrounds to range of windows with metal casements. Block cornice finishes off front above top mezzanine. The hall behind has blind side walls above which are 4 tiers of stepped-back clerestories. The interior exposes the structural reinforced concrete frame of tall parabolic arches which begin as square piers; flat roofed top-lit aisles, clerestories and domed top lights; 3 tall lights with 2 transoms in north east end wall. No doubt Easton was more particularly responsible for the introduction of this form of construction, the first of its kind in Britain, derived from Scandinavian timber construction of the early 1920s- Max Berg's 1922 exhibition pavilion at Breslau and more particularly the reinforced concrete work of Hennebique and Freyssinet (Orly airship hangars 1921 etc.)

Listing NGR: TQ2963378987