London County Hall, Ralf Knott Architecture, River Thames Building Images, Date, GLC

London County Hall : Architecture

Belvedere Road Building, South Bank, England, UK – design by Ralf Knott, architect

updated 13 Jun 2014

London County Hall Building

Date: 1922

Architect: Ralf Knott, with John Bancroft

Address: Belvedere Road

London County Hall Photos:

London County Hall London County Hall Building London County Hall Building
London County Hall : photographs © Adrian Welch, May 2007

Grade II* listed

former LCC & GLC offices

Rather severe building, on the south bank of the River Thames (so the main facade is often in shadow). It faces across to Whitehall, and is dominated by the London Eye immediately to the east.

Photos from the London Eye:

London County Hall London County Hall Building London County Hall Building

Address: County Hall, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 7PB

Owner: Shirayama Shokusan

Phone: 0871 527 8648

Architectural style: Edwardian Baroque architecture

County Hall (sometimes called London County Hall, LCH) is a building in Lambeth. It was the headquarters of London County Council and later the Greater London Council (GLC). The building is on the South Bank of the River Thames, just north of Westminster Bridge, facing west toward the City of Westminster, and close to the Palace of Westminster. The nearest tube stations are Waterloo and Westminster.

Today County Hall is the site of businesses and attractions, including the London Sea Life Aquarium, a permanent exhibition of works by the artist-in residence, Nasser Azam, and a Namco Station amusement arcade. The London Eye is next to County Hall, and its visitor centre is inside the building. There is also a suite of exhibition rooms which was home to the Saatchi Gallery from 2003 to 2006, and is now home for the London Film Museum. Other parts of the building house two hotels (a budget Premier Inn & a 5 star Marriott Hotel), several restaurants, and some flats. Various spaces are available for hire for functions, including the council chamber at the heart of the building. Until 2010 the Dali Universe was also in the building but this has now closed. The building is the new home of the London Dungeon which opened in 2013. The area is already home to two other Merlin Entertainments attractions.

The main six storey building was designed by Ralph Knott. It is faced in Portland stone in an Edwardian Baroque style. The construction, which was undertaken by Holland, Hannen & Cubitts, started in 1911 and the building was opened in 1922 by King George V. The North and South blocks, which were built by Higgs and Hill, were added between 1936 and 1939. The Island block was not completed until 1974.

For 64 years County Hall served as the headquarters of local government for London.
Source: wikipedia

Location: Belvedere Road, South London, England, UK

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London County Hall Photographs taken with Panasonic DMC-FX01 lumix camera; Leica lense: 2816×2112 pixels – original photos available upon request: info(at)e-architect.com

Comments / photos for the London County Hall Architecture page welcome