By 1926 the BBC was fast outgrowing its accommodation at Savoy Hill in the Strand. Their recently appointed civil engineer, Mr. M.T. Tudsbery, was asked to search for a building or new site for a new headquarters in London.

No existing buildings that could be adapted were found, but in 1928 the site of Foley House, Portland Place, was selected. A speculative design for a block of flats had already been prepared for this site by Lieutenant Colonel Val Myer and exhibited in the RA Summer Exhibition the previous year.

Building work began in 1929 and was completed by September 1931, with the technical fitting out completed by May 1932. Raymond McGrath was asked to act as Decoration Consultant, and to design two of the studios and several of the accessory rooms, as well as advising the BBC on points connected with the work entrusted to the other designers, Serge Chermayeff, Wells Coates, Edward Maufe, and Dorothy Warren Trotter.

A short film clip of the exterior of Broadcasting House can be seen here (note also All Souls’, Langham Place:

(BBC 1934)

I was commissioned to carry out the paint analysis in various parts of the building.

The analysis included the 1930s Crittall windows

I also carried out the paint analysis of the Radio Theatre

Experience gained on this project and a few other 1930s buildings led me to write a paper on the history of the British Standard colour range.

A view of the newly-built BBC Broadcasting House – 13 August 1931




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