BBC Maida Vale Studios

This sound recording studio complex was converted in 1934–1935 by the BBC from a roller skating rink originally built in 1909–1910 to designs by Lionel G Detmar and Theodore Gregg.

Construction and Materials

The building has brick elevations, with the Delaware Road frontage rendered. The structure uses steel trusses with a corrugated steel roof and corrugated steel cladding on the end bays and south elevation.

Layout

The building follows a long rectangular plan running parallel to Delaware Road, divided to provide seven distinct recording studios. The double-height studios and their associated storage spaces, lounges and control rooms sit beneath street level at lower ground floor, accessed via a main staircase at the north-west end. The studios form a "box within a box" arrangement designed to reduce external sound interference, with recording areas separated from the external walls by a network of narrow corridors that have additional staircases leading to the upper level.

The western half of the building contains studio MV1 (the largest), along with MV2 and MV3, which form a pair set at right angles to MV1. East of these are MV4 and MV5, also forming a pair though with different internal wall arrangements. The later-inserted studios at the east end are MV6 on the south side and MV7 with its associated storage areas to the north. At street level (upper ground floor), a series of offices run along the Delaware Road side and the canteen occupies the north-west end.

External Appearance

The rendered principal elevation extends for over 140 metres along Delaware Road, styled in an Edwardian baroque manner typical of commercial entertainment venues of the period. The main entrance to the former Skating Palace at the west end has an elaborate, symmetrical composition rising slightly above the parapet line. It features a broad arch framed by piers with lion head consoles and draped garlands. Above this is a stepped, corniced pediment with a central cartouche and bordered signage panel framed by scrolls and lavishly ornamented with garlands and festoons. The entrance itself is recessed beneath the arch, with a tiled platform leading to replacement double doors and an inserted access lift. The underside of the arched entrance has coffered panels and retains a large original leaded fanlight. The entrance is flanked by two pairs of Crittall windows with lobed surrounds.

Four further entrances open onto Delaware Road. Three of these originally served as rinkside entrances and have arched doorways set under stepped pediments featuring garlanded keystones, each with a central winged head of Hermes framed by channelled rusticated piers. A fourth entrance (the second from the east) is plain, having been inserted during the 1934 BBC conversion. Between the Delaware Road entrances, the elevation comprises channelled rusticated bays evenly divided by piers. The windows—all rectangular Crittall types introduced in 1934 to replace the original lunette windows—are regularly distributed across the elevation to light the offices at street level.

The south elevation and end bays are utilitarian in form, with plain engineering brick and corrugated steel cladding. The roof, repaired in 1980, is clad with corrugated steel and has a raised section to the pitch with a run of ventilation panels.

Interior

Entrance and Ground Floor

The main entrance leads through to a reception area, with a corridor to the east and stairs to the north that descend to the lower ground floor and provide access to studio MV1 via double doors. The broad staircase has 1930s balusters with wooden handrails to the sides. Above the entrance to MV1 hangs a large, fitted Art Deco-style clock, part of the BBC's original design matching examples at Broadcasting House. At the top of the stairs in the north-west corner of the building is the modernised canteen. The ground-floor corridor running parallel to Delaware Road leads to the offices, which are mostly in their original configuration though all fitted out to standard specifications with suspended ceilings and simple partition stud walls.

Lower Ground Floor Corridors and Services

At lower ground level, a network of corridors connects the studios and various attendant storage areas. From the corridor to the south side of MV1, elements of the original 1909–1910 steel roof truss structure can be seen, bearing the maker's mark "Appleby – Frodingham". The doors, fittings and studio signage to the corridors and auxiliary rooms at lower ground level vary in date. Several doors with porthole windows date from the 1930s (shown in early published photographs of the studios) and the studio lights to MV2 and MV3 probably date from the 1950s or 1960s. It is clear that there has been no comprehensive remodelling of the building, so internal fittings from various phases of work are retained in these service areas.

Studio MV1

The orchestral studio is by far the largest of the seven at Maida Vale and the only one to incorporate a formal public gallery, positioned at the north-west end. This retains 1930s tiered theatre seating and an original steel guardrail and handrail. Access to the gallery is via two double doors with original curved surrounds, set to the sides of the seating. The studio floor has two sections of wood-block flooring. The lighter section is original and marks the position where the orchestra would be seated, whilst the darker-stained "apron" section was added as part of the 1952 acoustic re-treatment. Other elements of this 1952 work can be seen in the simple dado-level plyboard panelling and some of the perforated suspended baffles and acoustic panels to the side walls and the back of the gallery. The arched ceiling has seen some modification to accommodate cabling, additional acoustic baffles and lighting rigs. The west end beneath the gallery houses the control rooms, converted from an artists' room and waiting room and divided by a central entrance as originally configured. At the east end of the studio is the curved, tubular casement for the organ with its shuttered chamber (for volume control), added around 1936. The section of fielded panelling to the front of the organ casement is a post-1970 addition.

Studio MV2

The experimental corrugated wall and coffered ceiling form of this studio largely remains as originally arranged in the 1930s. The banded plyboard panelling, which matches the type used in MV1, was added as part of the 1952 phase of re-treatment. This arrangement has been adapted on the east side (lower level) where the control room has been extended by converting a waiting room. A section of replacement panelling has been fitted here around the inserted control room window. A full-height projecting section in the centre of the south wall supports a wide panel integrating a clock and signal lights, probably added in the 1950s or 1960s on stylistic grounds. Lacquered wooden floorboards are fitted throughout.

Studio MV3

This forms a pair with MV2, being of the same proportions and arrangement but with different acoustic treatments. MV3 was refitted at some stage around or after the 1952 phase of work. It has distinctive green square acoustic panels with full-length curtains to reduce sound reverberation. The studio retains its diamond-pattern dark and light wooden-block floor, probably also a 1950s feature, with rows of metal fixing points for studio equipment. The control room on the west side has been extended with a lattice structure built around the wide window. Above the control room window is a plaque commemorating Bing Crosby's last recording having been made in MV3 on 11 October 1977. The south wall has a projecting structure with lattice cladding that supports a broad panel with a clock and signal lights, matching that in MV2. The ceiling has a series of acoustic blocks separated into rows with lighting rigs suspended between.

Studio MV4

Originally built with non-parallel walls as an experimental arrangement, this studio was thoroughly remodelled around 1980 with a rectangular form and an enlarged control room on the west side. A mezzanine gallery and a glazed isolation booth with canted walls were introduced as part of the remodelling. The walls have soft furnishings set beneath perforated wooden panelling, which is also applied to sections of the ceiling.

Studio MV5

This studio was also remodelled as part of the works around 1980, with the studio divided into two sections. A small recording area with a tapered form occupies the west side and has full-height matchboard panelling and a series of perforated wooden panels (matching those in MV4) to its west wall. The east side of the studio is occupied by a large control room which can also be used to serve MV4.

Studios MV6 and MV7

Studio MV6 (the principal drama studio since 1980) and MV7 (an additional live room, which has been decommissioned) are later additions to the complex and are excluded from this list entry.

Exclusions and Extent of Listing

Pursuant to section 1(5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, the following features are declared not to be of special architectural or historic interest: the ground-floor offices along Delaware Road, the canteen, and studios MV6 and MV7. However, any works which have the potential to affect the character of the listed building as a building of special architectural or historic interest may still require listed building consent, and this is a matter for the local planning authority to determine.

The special interest of the BBC Maida Vale Studios lies principally in the external form of the building and, internally, in the recording studios and their associated spaces rather than in the other administrative, storage and service rooms throughout the building. The ventilation block to the south and the boiler/plant extension to the north-west gable end are excluded.

Within the building, the listing covers the main entrance area leading to the stairs down to the lower-ground studios, all parts of studios MV1 to MV5 (including control rooms and storage areas set between the studios) and the associated lower-ground corridors connecting these studios. However, all other internal parts of the building, including the ground-level offices to Delaware Road, the canteen and the later-added studios MV6 and MV7, are not of special interest and are specifically excluded from the listing.

This list entry was subject to a minor amendment on 18 July 2023 to amend details in the description.