Number 1 Poultry London, James Stirling Building, Architecture Photos, Listing, Review, Images

Number One Poultry : Architecture

Listing for Postmodern Building in London, England – original design by James Stirling Michael Wilford

post updated 12 June 2021
No 1 Poultry London Building Photos

photos © Adrian Welch

I find the scale and articulation of this building to be massively overweight, however the planting in the courtyard adds life, as do the vibrant internal facade colours.

28 May 2018
No 1 Poultry Planning Application

Redevelopment Architect: BuckleyGrayYeoman

Latest BuckleyGrayYeoman plan reveals proposed colonnade seating area

Plans lodged with the City of London Corporation reveal that the owners of No1 Poultry are looking to introduce an outdoor seating area to serve a new retail unit at James Stirling and Michael Wilford’s revered block, reports Building Design.

photograph © Adrian Welch

Proposals submitted on behalf of owners Wood Grafton One seek permission to put 30 chairs and 15 tables outside a unit behind the existing colonnade on the south side of the building, which was completed in 1998.

30 Nov 2016

Number 1 Poultry Building Listing

No 1 Poultry Listed

James Stirling and Michael Wilford & Partners’ No 1 Poultry has been listed at Grade II*, just a year after a previous bid was rejected, reports the Architects’ Journal today.

The City of London building is a highly significant work by one of Britain’s leading post-war architects, James Stirling.

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

photograph © Nick Weall

Historic England Report:

Summary of Building

Speculative commercial building incorporating offices and retail units, the Green Man public house, a public right of way in Bucklersbury Passage and rooftop restaurant and garden. Designed in 1985-88 by James Stirling, Michael Wilford and Associates for Peter Palumbo’s City Acre Property Investment Trust Ltd, and built in 1994-8 by the practice, renamed Michael Wilford and Partners Ltd after Stirling’s death in 1992.

photo © Adrian Welch

Reasons for Designation

No.1 Poultry, designed in 1985-88 by James Stirling, Michael Wilford and Associates, and built in 1994-98 by the practice, renamed Michael Wilford and Partners after Stirling’s death in 1992, is listed at Grade II* for the following principal reasons:

* Architect: a highly significant late work by one of Britain’s foremost post-war architects, which expresses Stirling’s singular approach to design; * Architectural and design interest: an unsurpassed example of commercial post-modernism, on a monumental scale, intricate in its planning and rigorously scrutinised and executed; * Commercial development: one of the key developments of the post-war era, built by a prominent developer, determined to create a building of enduring quality; * Spatial interest and form: a striking symmetrical composition on a tightly constrained site, exemplifying Stirling’s work in its exploration of space and movement though interlocking geometrical volumes and in its use of materials, colour and motifs, and exceptionally carrying this through to a dynamic interior space; *

Planning: exemplary urban contextualism in a complex spatial inter-relationship of mixed-use office and retail accommodation, a public right of way, roof garden and restaurant, entrance to the underground station and public house, where the generosity of the public realm is exceptional for a speculative scheme; * Civic presence and group value: occupies a very prominent site in the heart of the City of London, in close proximity to highly prestigious civic and commercial buildings, which are referenced in the design.

http://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1428881

2 Aug 2016

e-architect asked Twentieth Century Society Director Catherine Croft for a statement:

No 1 Poultry Listing Review

photo © Adrian Welch

“We are pleased that the listing case has been reopened, but what is needed is a rapid decision to confirm the listing of this outstanding building. It’s much better if buildings can be assessed before proposals to alter them are under consideration. The technical argument here was whether or not the changes contemplated represented a sufficient level of risk to the building. A subsequent DCMS response on another case (received today) has refused to consider upgrading of Smithfield Poultry Market from II to II* because the scheme is “not yet finalised nor does it have the benefit of planning permission”—surely it would be much better to decide this in advance?

What we really need is a much better resourced listing system which can carry out proactive surveys , and look each year at all the buildings reaching 30 years of age (the point at which they are generally listable without special circumstances applying).”

Catherine Croft, Director of the Twentieth Century Society

29 Jul 2016

Number 1 Poultry Listing Refusal to be Reviewed

No 1 Poultry Listing Reconsideration

Number One Poultry is to be reconsidered for listing just seven months after it was refected, reports Building Design.

photo © Nick Weall

James Stirling’s City of London landmark was rejected for protection by the DCMS in December 2015, against the advice of Historic England and despite facing redevelopment.

Surprisingly the culture ministry has now announced it will review the decision after a detailed appeal submitted by the Twentieth Century Society.

The decision will be made by new culture secretary Karen Bradley. The reversal appears to be one of the last acts of John Whittingdale who was sacked by Prime Minister Theresa May a few days later.

7 Dec 2015

Number 1 Poultry Listing Refusal

No 1 Poultry Listing Refused

The DCMS has refused to list No1 Poultry – ignoring Historic England’s advice.

picture © Adrian Welch

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has written to Historic England to inform them of their view that the proposed changes to No.1 Poultry do not constitute substantial harm to the building and that therefore, due to its relatively recent construction, it does not meet the criteria for listing.

Emily Gee, Head of Listing at Historic England, said:
“We recommended that No.1 Poultry be listed at Grade II* and are disappointed that the Secretary of State did not agree that it was under threat. We consider that the proposed changes to the building would alter its character and wanted to provide clarity on the building’s special architectural interest to inform its future management.

No.1 Poultry is a highly significant late work by one of Britain’s leading post-war architects, James Stirling. It was a key work of late 20th century architecture, built by a prominent developer who was determined to create a building of enduring quality.”

Number 1 Poultry Listing Refusal

4 Dec 2015

1 Poultry Listing Decision

“The Twentieth Century Society is very disappointed with the decision not to list 1 Poultry. It is extraordinary that this decision has been made not on the grounds that the architectural or historic merits of the building are inadequate for listing. Listing has been refused because DCMS has overridden the opinion of Historic England and the original design team that the current proposals for substantial alteration do constitute a threat to the building’s integrity. We are currently looking at options for challenging this decision which leaves Britain’s foremost post-modern building extremely vulnerable.”

Number 1 Poultry Listing Decision – Twentieth Century Society statement on 1 Poultry listing decision

24 Jul 2015

Number 1 Poultry Listing

No 1 Poultry Listing Bid

Leading architects have called for No 1 Poultry, James Stirling’s controversial building in the City of London, to be listed in an attempt to derail a proposed redevelopment.

Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid, Richard Rogers and Piers Gough wrote letters in support of the City landmark following plans by owners Perella Weinberg to redevelop James Stirling’s 1997 Postmodern landmark building.

image © Adrian Welch

29 Apr 2013

Number 1 Poultry London

Date designed: 1985-88 ; Date built: 1999

Architect: James Stirling Michael Wilford (JSMWAL completed as MWPL)

Location: Mansion house, City of London (just west of Bank tube station)

Address: 1 Poultry, London EC2R 8EJ

Phone: 020 7395 5000

Number One Poultry London

Notorious development in that the demolition of the previous building on the site – a stone-built Victorian stoe, Mappin & Webb – was strongly disliked by many.

Moreover, Lord Palumbo had plans to place a Mies van der Rohe tower here with a windswept plaza in front of it, not exactly in the grain of the historic City of London. In the end we got a flowery Postmodern design by Jim Stirling.

The building has none of the grace of the previous incumbent, in its favour one could say it is interesting and colourful, but very non-contextual. There’s an obvious ship’s prow metaphor and strong facade striation.