Summary
Congress House is the headquarters of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), a British organisation that represents most of the UK's trade unions. It is also an events venue, Congress Centre.
| Congress House | |
|---|---|
 Congress House | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Great Russell Street, Holborn, London WC1B 3LS, England |
| Completed | 1958 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | David du Roi Aberdeen |
In 1948, David du Roi Aberdeen won an architectural competition to design the new TUC headquarters building in Great Russell Street, London.[1] Staff began to move into the offices in 1956. Congress House was officially opened on 27 March 1958 along with the unveiling of a giant pietà-style statue of a woman holding her dead son. Carved in place in the internal courtyard by Jacob Epstein, it was intended as a memorial to the dead trade unionists of both world wars.[2]
The front of the building is dominated by a bronze sculpture by Bernard Meadows representing the spirit of trade unionism with the strong helping the weak.[1] The main facing material of the façade is polished grey Cornish granite.[3]
Congress House was one of the earliest post-war buildings to be listed at Grade II*, in 1988.[4][5]
In 2015, an ETFE roof was installed over the internal courtyard which enabled the glass roof of the conference centre below to be reinstated and affords protection to the Epstein statue.[6][7]
In 2018, an extensive redevelopment of the rear of the building was carried out, creating a new entrance, reception, offices and staff facilities.[8] Known as 'The Rookery', the new development includes a public artwork by German artist Eva Berendes inspired by traditional trade union badges.[9]
Gallery edit
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Junction of Great Russell Street and Dyott Street -
Dyott Street side of Congress House -
Bernard Meadows' statue 'The Spirit of Brotherhood' -
Jacob Epstein's "Pietà" in the courtyard of Congress House -
![The original space frame ceiling of Congress Hall, in the Congress Centre.[10]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/TUC_Congress_Center_%28243432969%29.jpg/120px-TUC_Congress_Center_%28243432969%29.jpg)
The original space frame ceiling of Congress Hall, in the Congress Centre.[10]
![The original space frame ceiling of Congress Hall, in the Congress Centre.[10]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/TUC_Congress_Center_%28243432969%29.jpg/120px-TUC_Congress_Center_%28243432969%29.jpg)
References edit
- ^ a b [1] Archived December 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Union Makes Us Strong – TUC History Online". Unionhistory.info. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "Pleasing facade of the new T.U.C. building". The Times. 12 October 1956. p. 4.
- ^ "Congress House". c20society. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1113223)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
- ^ Architects, Hugh Broughton. "TUC Congress House | Hugh Broughton Architects". Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016. at Archive.org.
- ^ "Home". Congress Centre. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ Architects, Hugh Broughton. "TUC Congress House | Hugh Broughton Architects". hbarchitects.co.uk. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ "Eva Berendes". evaberendes.com. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ "Home". Congress Centre. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
External links edit
Media related to Congress House, Great Russell Street, London at Wikimedia Commons
- TUC's webpage with details of the history of the building
51°31′03″N 0°07′43″W / 51.51744°N 0.1285°W