Pair of K6 Telephone Kiosks in Argyll Street, London, City of Westminster, London

Entry Name: Pair of K6 Telephone Kiosks in Argyll Street, London

Listing Date: 9 December 2016

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1439230

ID on this website: 101439230

Location: Soho, Westminster, London, W1F

County: London

District: City of Westminster

Electoral Ward/Division: West End

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: City of Westminster

Traditional County: Middlesex

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Greater London

Church of England Parish: St Anne Soho

Church of England Diocese: London

Tagged with: Telephone booth

Summary

A pair of K6 telephone kiosks situated in Argyll Street, London.

Description

A pair of K6 telephone kiosks situated in Argyll Street, London.

The K6 is a standardised design made of cast iron, and generally painted red overall with long horizontal glazing in the door and sides and with the crowns situated on the top panels being applied not perforated. There are rectangular white display signs, reading TELEPHONE beneath the shallow-curved roof on all four sides. These two kiosks have late C20 telephone equipment and are painted red with signage and embossed crowns intact. Each has a glazing panel missing, and there is some damage to the door of the more southerly of the pair. The K6 Kiosks in Argyll Street, London both bear the King's crown, dating them to before 1952. They stand at the end of a pedestrian area in the heart of the west end of London.

The pair enjoy a high visual relationship with a number of listed buildings in the immediate environs, including the London Palladium Theatre (National Heritage List for England reference 1210130), The Argyll Public House (NHLE reference 1066496), and the premises of Messrs Liberty & Company Limited (NHLE reference 1357064) all listed at Grade II*, Dickins and Jones (NHLE reference 1265215), 229-247 Regent Street (NHLE reference 1265197), Palladium House (NHLE reference 1357168), Oxford Circus Underground Station (NHLE reference 1400976, 1401022), and the Peter Robinson Stores (NHLE reference 1227690), all listed at Grade II.

Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that the aforementioned late C20 telephone equipment is not of special architectural or historic interest.

History

The K6 telephone kiosk is a milestone of C20 industrial design. The K6 was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 for the General Post Office, on the occasion of King George V's Silver Jubilee. The K6 was a development from his earlier highly successful K2 telephone kiosk design of 1924, of Neo-classical inspiration. The K6 was more streamlined aesthetically, more compact and more cost-effective to mass produce. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960) was one of the most important of modern British architects; his many celebrated commissions include the Anglican cathedral of Liverpool and his Battersea power station. The K2 and K6 telephone kiosks can be said to represent a very thoughtful adaption of architectural tradition to contemporary technological requirements. Well over 70,000 K6s were eventually produced. In the 1960s many were replaced with a new kiosk type. But many still remain, and continue to be an iconic feature on Britain's streetscapes.

Reasons for Listing

This pair of K6 telephone kiosks in Argyll Street, London are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: on account of their public historic associations, including the commission of the K6 from a renowned architect, in celebration of King George V's Silver Jubilee;
* Design/Aesthetic interest: the K6 is an iconic C20 industrial design by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott;
* Group Value: as two K6 kiosks, which form a pair and have a strong visual relationship with eight surrounding listed buildings and structures.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.