Centre Point
Completed in 1966 in the heart of the West End, Centre Point is a building that could only have emerged from the restless, irreverent period of the 1960s. This under-appreciated architectural masterpiece is now set for an imaginative new lease of life.
More than a development site, Centre Point is a national treasure. The building is the creation of one of the most influential property developers of the last century. Harry Hyams saw the opportunity to create a skyscraper in the heart of London. Designed by Colonel Seifert, it embodied the growing confidence of the 1960s, as Britain emerged from post-war depression. Later, it gained unwelcome ‘white elephant’ status, as it remained partially empty and cut off by the busy gyratory system that was formative in its creation.
Centre Point is a building that justifies its name. It stands at the junction of two of London’s busiest thoroughfares: Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road. This is also the central point of the tube system, where the main north-south artery (the Northern Line) crosses the main east-west artery (the Central Line). The arrival of Crossrail, with Tottenham Court Road as the central stop, confirms the building’s geographical and symbolic position at the heart of London.
Centre Point is a flawed icon, but a beautiful one. It demands thoughtful intervention to reinstate it as the landmark destination it was intended to be.
By revealing more of the original design and incorporating the best of 1960s style and industrial design into the refurbishment we want to breathe new life into Centre Point and to create a new destination that London can be proud of.
Centre Point is a joint venture partnership between Almacantar (75%) and Frogmore (25%).