Harringay online

Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

I'm delighted to learn that the Civic Centre was designated as listed building by Historic England last week.

I'd never really noticed it or appreciated the building, until a few years ago. Then I took a second look a few years back and realised what a great building it is.

I know it was on the chopping block a few years back and the Council had plans to relocate to Woodside House. I hadn't thought about it much until recently when I was at a ceremony there and a staff member told that the Registrar's department was being moved out.

I feared that the plans were rolling ahead. I'd meant to check up the status, but life got in the way. So I was delighted when I got the heads up that the building has been listed.

Grade II is the category that 90% of listed buildings go in, "warranting every effort to preserve them". So it's not the strongest of protections, but I hope it will mean that the Civic Centre is safe.

Tags for Forum Posts: civic centre

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Good to hear from someone who works there. It’s a shame that it’s become such a poor work environment for you. 

If you follow the link I added in the original post, you can read that the reasons for listing are certainly not the roof! The listing gives the following reason:

for its clear Scandinavian influence, the subtle qualities of which express architecturally the values of informality, transparency and modernity, defining aspirations of the post war civic centre as a type; for its generous planning and creative use of space; for its elegant and consistent application of high quality materials and detailing in the principal internal spaces; for the level of survival of key aspects of the building’s character and physical fabric.

With regards to the degree to which the building is protected, as I pointed out, it’s a Grade II listing, which only requires “every effort” to preserve it. But this makes the job of those defending it a whole lot easier. 

I'm sure it's a reasonable and functional building of its type and age but that picture looks like a corset factory on the Great West Road

Philistine.

There are some fantastic buildings on the Great West Road - http://www.doganddeco.co.uk/topics/london-area/great-west-road-a4/ (excuse the dog - it's the best set of photos I could find!)

‘‘Twas the look they were after John.

Wood Green Borough Town Hall when I was there in the 60s. Cllr George Cathles ruled the roost. Looks a lot bigger now!

That's a view from the rear of the building. The architectural lines of this elevation do make it look larger than the view from the front. The grey concrete extension is just a finger only built on the first floor and the entire floorspace is used for committee rooms. 

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