Richard Seifert
Encyclopedia
Reubin Seifert - normally known as Richard Seifert was a British architect, best known for designing the Centrepoint
tower and Tower 42
(previously the NatWest Tower), once the tallest building in the City of London
. He was also responsible for two other tall buildings in London, Drapers Gardens and the King's Reach Tower
, as well as numerous commercial buildings - principally hotels and office blocks - in and around London. His practice also designed commercial buildings and social housing developments in other major British cities - most notably Birmingham
, Manchester
and Glasgow
.
Following his retirement in 1984, his son John Seifert took over the practice, which survived in various forms until 2010 when it closed amid alleged failure to pay tax debts. John Seifert now practices under the name Sigma Architects - continuing the legacy of hotel and commercial developments begun by his father.
Centre Point
Centre Point is a substantial concrete and glass office building in central London, England, occupying 101-103 New Oxford Street, WC1, close to St Giles Circus and almost directly above Tottenham Court Road tube station. The site was once occupied by a gallows...
tower and Tower 42
Tower 42
Tower 42 is the second tallest skyscraper in the City of London and the fifth tallest in London overall. The original name was the National Westminster Tower, having been built to house the National Westminster Bank's International Division. Seen from above, the tower closely resembles the NatWest...
(previously the NatWest Tower), once the tallest building in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. He was also responsible for two other tall buildings in London, Drapers Gardens and the King's Reach Tower
King's Reach Tower
King's Reach Tower is a high-rise office building in Stamford Street, Southwark, London.It is a thirty-one storey structure high and was completed in 1972. It was designed by the renowned architect Sir Richard Seifert and built by John Laing Construction Limited. There are plans for a complete...
, as well as numerous commercial buildings - principally hotels and office blocks - in and around London. His practice also designed commercial buildings and social housing developments in other major British cities - most notably Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
Following his retirement in 1984, his son John Seifert took over the practice, which survived in various forms until 2010 when it closed amid alleged failure to pay tax debts. John Seifert now practices under the name Sigma Architects - continuing the legacy of hotel and commercial developments begun by his father.
London and suburbs
- 90 Long Acre, WestminsterCity of WestminsterThe City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
- Barnet House, High Road, BarnetBarnetHigh Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
- Blackfriars Station, Queen Victoria StreetQueen Victoria StreetQueen Victoria Street may refer to one of the following:*Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle*Queen Victoria Street, Hong Kong*Queen Victoria Street, Leeds*Queen Victoria Street, London*Queen Victoria Street, Reading...
, City of LondonCity of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
(to be demolished) - Britannia Hotel (Millennium Mayfair), Grosvenor SquareGrosvenor SquareGrosvenor Square is a large garden square in the exclusive Mayfair district of London, England. It is the centrepiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from their surname, "Grosvenor".-History:...
, MayfairMayfairMayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today... - Centre PointCentre PointCentre Point is a substantial concrete and glass office building in central London, England, occupying 101-103 New Oxford Street, WC1, close to St Giles Circus and almost directly above Tottenham Court Road tube station. The site was once occupied by a gallows...
, New Oxford Street, CamdenLondon Borough of CamdenIn 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century... - Corinthian House, Lansdowne Road, CroydonCroydonCroydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
- Drapers Gardens, Throgmorton Avenue, City of London (demolished)
- Essoldo Paddington Cinema, Great Western Road, Westminster (demolished)
- Euston StationEuston stationEuston station may refer to one of the following stations in London, United Kingdom:*Euston railway station, a major terminus for trains to the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and part of Scotland...
, Eversholt Street, Camden (to be demolished) - Exchange House, Watford
- Hilton London Metropole, Edgware Road, Westminster
- Holborn Centre, HolbornHolbornHolborn is an area of Central London. Holborn is also the name of the area's principal east-west street, running as High Holborn from St Giles's High Street to Gray's Inn Road and then on to Holborn Viaduct...
, Camden - I.C.T. House, Putney High Street, PutneyPutneyPutney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
- International Press Centre, Shoe Lane, City of London
- King's Reach TowerKing's Reach TowerKing's Reach Tower is a high-rise office building in Stamford Street, Southwark, London.It is a thirty-one storey structure high and was completed in 1972. It was designed by the renowned architect Sir Richard Seifert and built by John Laing Construction Limited. There are plans for a complete...
, Stamford Street, SouthwarkSouthwarkSouthwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north... - Kellogg House, Baker StreetBaker StreetBaker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder William Baker, who laid the street out in the 18th century. The street is most famous for its connection to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, who lived at a fictional 221B...
, Westminster - Limebank House, Gracechurch StreetGracechurch StreetGracechurch Street is a street in the City of London which forms part of the A10. It is home to a number of shops, restaurants, offices and Leadenhall Market....
, City of London (demolished) - London Forum Hotel (Kensington Forum Hotel)http://www.hikensingtonforumhotel.co.uk/index.html, Cromwell RoadCromwell RoadCromwell Road is a major road in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, and is designated part of the A4. It was created in the 19th century and is named after Oliver Cromwell....
, Kensington and ChelseaRoyal Borough of Kensington and ChelseaThe Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a central London borough of Royal borough status. After the City of Westminster, it is the wealthiest borough in England.... - New Printing House SquarePrinting House SquarePrinting House Square is a London court, so called from the former office of the King's Printer which occupied the site. For many years, the office of The Times stood on the site, until it relocated to Gray's Inn Road and later to Wapping....
, Gray's Inn RoadGray's Inn RoadGray's Inn Road, formerly Gray's Inn Lane, is a major road in central London, in the London Borough of Camden. It is named after Gray's Inn, one of the main Inns of Court. The road starts in Holborn, near Chancery Lane tube station and the boundaries of the City of London and the London Borough...
, Camden - New London Bridge House, 5 London Bridge Street, SouthwarkSouthwarkSouthwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
(demolished - site now occupied by Shard London BridgeShard London BridgeShard London Bridge is a skyscraper under construction in Southwark, London. When completed in May 2012, it will be the tallest building in the European Union and the 45th-tallest building in the world, standing tall...
) - No. 1 Croydon (the NLA Tower), Addiscombe Road, Croydon
- One Kemble Street (Space House), off KingswayKingsway (London)Kingsway is a major road in central London in the United Kingdom, designated as part of the A4200. It runs from High Holborn, at its north end in the London Borough of Camden, and meets Aldwych in the south in the City of Westminster at Bush House. It was built in the 1900s...
, Camden - Orbit House, Blackfriars RoadBlackfriars RoadBlackfriars Road is a road in Southwark, SE1. It runs between St George's Circus at the southern end and Blackfriars Bridge over the River Thames at the northern end, leading to the City of London. Halfway up on the west side is Southwark tube station, on the corner with The Cut...
, Southwark (demolished) - Planet House, Baker Street, Westminster
- Princess Grace Hospital, Nottingham Place, Westminster
- Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Bayswater RoadBayswater RoadBayswater Road is the main road running across the north of Hyde Park, London. To the east Bayswater Road becomes Oxford Street . It is where the fictional upper middle class Forsyte family live in the BBC series the Forsyte Saga...
, Westminster - Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington High StreetKensington High StreetKensington High Street is the main shopping street in Kensington, west London. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Kensington and Chelsea - Royex House, Aldermanbury Square, City of London (demolished)
- 1, 2 & 3 St John’s Square, Finsbury (now known as Gate House, 1 St John's Square, Clerkenwell, Islington)
- St Martin's Lane Hotel, Covent GardenCovent GardenCovent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, Westminster - Sheraton Park Tower Hotel, KnightsbridgeKnightsbridgeKnightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, Kensington and Chelsea - Sobell Sports Centre, Hornsey Road, IslingtonIslingtonIslington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
- Telstar House, Eastbourne Terrace, WestminsterCity of WestminsterThe City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
(demolished) - Tolworth Tower, Ewell Road, TolworthTolworthTolworth is a mostly residential area of outer South London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, located south west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include: New Malden, Kingston, Surbiton, Berrylands, Chessington, Ewell and Worcester Park....
, Kingston upon ThamesKingston upon ThamesKingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the... - Tower 42, Old Broad Street, City of London
- Wembley Hotel & Conference CentreWembley Conference CentreWembley Conference Centre was a conference centre near Wembley Stadium, Wembley, in London, England.-History:Opened in 1977, it was the first purpose built Conference Centre in the UK. Events included conferences, corporate hospitality, annual general meetings, banquets and sports events including...
, WembleyWembleyWembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
(demolished) - Westel House, Uxbridge RoadUxbridge RoadUxbridge Road is the name of the A4020 road in London. It starts at Shepherd's Bush Green and goes west towards Uxbridge. It passes through Acton, Ealing Broadway and Hanwell....
, EalingEalingEaling is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village... - Woolworth House, Marylebone RoadMarylebone RoadMarylebone Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, within the City of Westminster. It runs east-west from the Euston Road at Regent's Park to the A40 Westway at Paddington...
, Westminster
Elsewhere
- Anderston CentreAnderston CentreThe Anderston Centre is a mixed-use commercial and residential complex, and former bus station located in the Anderston area of Glasgow, Scotland...
, GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(partially demolished) - Alpha TowerAlpha TowerAlpha Tower is a commercial building in Birmingham, England. It was built to a design by George Marsh of Richard Seifert & Partners as the headquarters of the commercial television company ATV and part of the companies' production studio complex known as ATV Centre...
, LadywoodLadywoodLadywood is an inner-city area in Birmingham, England. It is a council constituency, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Ladywood ward and the wards of Aston, Nechells and Soho. In June 2004, Birmingham City Council conducted a city-wide "Ward Boundary...
, BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... - ATV Centre, Broad StreetBroad Street, BirminghamBroad Street is a major thoroughfare and popular nightspot in Birmingham City Centre, United Kingdom. Traditionally, Broad Street was considered to be outside Birmingham City Centre, but as the city centre expanded with the removal of the Inner Ring Road, Broad Street has been incorporated into...
, Birmingham (demolished) - British Steel Corporation Research Laboratories, MiddlesbroughMiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
- Central Television Complex, NottinghamNottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
- Centre City Tower, Hill Street, Birmingham
- Elmbank Gardens/Tower, Charing Cross, GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
- Concourse HouseConcourse HouseConcourse House was a derelict 1960s high-rise tower block in the city of Liverpool, England, designed by architect Richard Seifert. The tower was used as a backdrop to the performance art piece La Princesse...
, Lime Street, LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, the scene of the giant mechanical spider La PrincesseLa PrincesseLa Princesse is a 15-metre mechanical spider designed and operated by French performance art company La Machine. The spider was showcased in Liverpool, England, as part of the 2008 European Capital of Culture celebrations, travelling around the city between 3-7 September. In 2009, it was on...
's first appearance in Liverpool; demolished 2008 - Gateway House, Piccadilly, ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
- Hexagon Tower (ICI Research Laboratories), BlackleyBlackleyBlackley is an area of the city of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of Manchester city centre, by a meander of the River Irk. Further north is Middleton...
, Manchester - Metropole Hotel, Birmingham
- National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham
- Princess Margaret Hospital, WindsorWindsor, BerkshireWindsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
- Rival Lamps factory building, BrightonBrightonBrighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
(demolished) - Sussex HeightsSussex HeightsSussex Heights is a residential tower block in the centre of Brighton, part of the English city of Brighton and Hove. Built between 1966 and 1968 on the site of a historic church, it rises to —making it the tallest building in the city and one of the tallest residential buildings on the south...
, Brighton
External links
- Richard Seifert obituary The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
21 October 2001 - List of buildings by R Seifert and Partners at Emporis