London Underground's headquarters are built above St. James's Park tube station at 55 Broadway, London

55 Broadway is a notable building in London, United Kingdom. It was designed by Charles Holden and built between 1927–29. It was built as a new headquarters building for the London Electric Railway Company (LER), the main forerunner of London Underground. The building continues to be occupied as the organisation's headquarters. Download high resolution version (735x645, 124 KB)The London Underground Headquarters at 55 Broadway designed by Charles Holden and built between 1927–29. ... Download high resolution version (735x645, 124 KB)The London Underground Headquarters at 55 Broadway designed by Charles Holden and built between 1927–29. ... The nickname the Tube comes from the circular tube-like tunnels through which the small-profile trains travel. ... Entrance to St Jamess Park Underground station St Jamess Park is a London Underground station by St Jamess Park in the City of Westminster. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom. ... Charles Henry Holden (12 May 1875 - 1 May 1960) was an English architect known for his designs of stations on the London Underground railway system. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... History Formation The Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited (UER) was the holding company, for three of the new deep-level tube underground railway lines constructed in London in the first decade of the 20th century. ... The nickname the Tube comes from the circular tube-like tunnels through which the small-profile trains travel. ...

Faced with Portland stone, the upper office floors of the building are on a cruciform plan, stepping back towards the central clock tower at the top. The ground floor contains a shopping arcade and many art deco details. The whole building is built on top of St. James's Park tube station. When finished it was the tallest office building in London, until another Holden building, the University of London's Senate House, took the accolade. The Cenotaph, in Whitehall, London, England, is made from Portland stone Portland stone is limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. ... Asheville City Hall. ... Entrance to St Jamess Park Underground station St Jamess Park is a London Underground station by St Jamess Park in the City of Westminster. ... The University of London is a federation of colleges and institutes which together constitute one of the worlds largest universities. ... The Senate House of the University of London Senate House, the administrative centre of the University of London, lies in the heart of Bloomsbury between the School of Oriental and African Studies to the north and the British Museum to the south. ...

North Wind, one of Eric Gill's three reliefs decorating the seventh floor pediment.

On each elevation, the pediment above the seventh floor is decorated with a relief, collectively known as 'the four winds', although the four points of the compass are repeated twice for a total of eight reliefs. Each relief was carved by an avante-garde sculptor of the day. Eric Gills relief sculpture of the North Wind (1928) Portland stone. ... Eric Gills relief sculpture of the North Wind (1928) Portland stone. ... Arthur Eric Rowton Gill (February 22, 1882–November 17, 1940) was a British sculptor, typographer and engraver. ...

Jacob Epstein's Day and Night drew most of the criticism from London's public.

Above the two main entrances are a matched pair of sculptures, Day and Night by Jacob Epstein. The modernism and graphic nakedness of these sculptures created public outrage on their unveiling. Newspapers started a campaign to have the statues removed and one company director even offered to pay the cost. Download high resolution version (883x574, 120 KB)Jacob Epsteins Day and Night (1928) Portland stone, carved for London Undergrounds Headquarters at 55 Broadway London. ... Download high resolution version (883x574, 120 KB)Jacob Epsteins Day and Night (1928) Portland stone, carved for London Undergrounds Headquarters at 55 Broadway London. ... Jacob Epstein photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1934 Sir Jacob Epstein (10 November 1880 - 19 August 1959) was an American-born sculptor who worked chiefly in England, where he pioneered modern sculpture, often producing controversial works that challenged taboos concerning what public artworks appropriately depict. ... Jacob Epstein photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1934 Sir Jacob Epstein (10 November 1880 - 19 August 1959) was an American-born sculptor who worked chiefly in England, where he pioneered modern sculpture, often producing controversial works that challenged taboos concerning what public artworks appropriately depict. ...

Frank Pick, the managing director of the LER at the time, took overall responsibility and offered his resignation over the scandal. In the end, Epstein agreed to remove a couple of inches from the penis of the smaller figure on Day and ultimately the furore died down. Frank Pick (23 November 1878 - 7 November 1941) was Managing Director of the Underground Group from 1928 and Chief Executive of the London Passenger Transport Board from its creation in 1933 until 1940. ...

Reportedly, the function suite at the top of the building is the only part of London Underground property where alcohol may be consumed.

Commissioned art work

• Day and Night, Jacob Epstein
• North Wind, A.H. Gerard
• North Wind, Eric Gill
• East Wind, Eric Gill
• East Wind, Allan Wyon
• South Wind, Eric Gill
• South Wind, Eric Aumonier
• West Wind, Samuel Rabinovich
• West Wind, Henry Moore

Download high resolution version (883x574, 120 KB)Jacob Epsteins Day and Night (1928) Portland stone, carved for London Undergrounds Headquarters at 55 Broadway London. ... Jacob Epstein photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1934 Sir Jacob Epstein (10 November 1880 - 19 August 1959) was an American-born sculptor who worked chiefly in England, where he pioneered modern sculpture, often producing controversial works that challenged taboos concerning what public artworks appropriately depict. ... Eric Gills relief sculpture of the North Wind (1928) Portland stone. ... Arthur Eric Rowton Gill (February 22, 1882–November 17, 1940) was a British sculptor, typographer and engraver. ... Arthur Eric Rowton Gill (February 22, 1882–November 17, 1940) was a British sculptor, typographer and engraver. ... Revd Allan Gairdner Wyon. ... Arthur Eric Rowton Gill (February 22, 1882–November 17, 1940) was a British sculptor, typographer and engraver. ... Samuel Rabinovichs relief sculpture of the West Wind (1928) Portland stone for one of the eight winds for the London Underground headquarters at 55 Broadway, London. ... Henry Moores West Wind (1928) carved from Portland stone, was his first public commission. ... Reclining Figure (1951) outside the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, is characteristic of Moores sculptures, with an abstract female figure intercut with voids. ...

External links

• London's Transport Museum Photographic Archive
  • Building
    • 1920s illustration of buildings demolished to construct 55 Broadway
    • 1920s illustration of 55 Broadway
    • 55 Broadway, 1930
    • The Library, 1952
  • Sculptures
    • Epstein's Day
    • Epstein's Night
    • Gerard's North Wind
    • Gill's North Wind
    • Gill's East Wind
    • Wyon's East Wind
    • Aumonier's South Wind
    • Gill's South Wind
    • Moore's West Wind
    • Rabinovich's West Wind
    • Henry Moore carving West Wind, 1928
    • Jacob Epstein with Night during its carving, 1929

References

• Modern Architectural Sculpture, Ed. William Aumonier, The Architectural Press, London 1930