黑洞社区

Richard Rogers鈥� Channel 4 headquarters building in Westminster has been granted grade II-listed status amid concerns for the future of the 1990s high-tech building.

Earlier this month campaign group the 20^th Century Society included the building, designed in conjunction with structural engineer Ove Arup & Partners, on its list of the UK鈥檚 .

The society said the Horseferry Road building was 鈥渦ndoubtedly鈥� one of Rogers鈥� most significant public commissions in the UK. But it said Channel 4鈥檚 decision to move its national headquarters to Leeds and uncertainty over the broadcaster鈥檚 future ownership left the structure 鈥渧ulnerable to alteration or redevelopment鈥�.

Richard Rogers Partnership director John Young was project partner for the 拢38.5m building, which was completed in 1994 by Bovis. It won a RIBA National Award the following year.

The new status was conferred by the Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport and was effective from last Thursday.

Government heritage adviser Historic England described the building鈥檚 鈥渄egree of survival鈥� and the low level of internal or external alteration among its reasons for designation.

It said the high-tech building was 鈥渁n important British work鈥� by Richard Rogers Partnership 鈥� which became Rogers, Stirk Harbour & Partners in 2007 鈥� and an 鈥渆legant work鈥� of the high-tech movement 鈥渄isplaying many of its key principles鈥�.

Clad in pewter-coated powder-grey aluminium and glass, the building includes roughly 15,000 sq m of space and was designed to accommodate up to 600 staff. The design also incorporates a car park and a landscaped garden square.

Historic England said the 鈥淏ig 4鈥� metal sculpture, which was installed in 2007 on the piazza in front of the Channel Four Headquarters was not part of the grade II listing.