Senate House University of London

Holden's Senate House, home to the University of London's administration offices and library. The University of London had existed since 1838, a major reform in 1900 indicated the need for an administrative headquarters for this, in the words of Lord Haldane "ought to be the chief centre of learning in the entire Empire, perhaps the chief centre of learning for the entire world.”

Charles Holden won the commission to design the new building for the University of London in competition with Sir Giles Scott amongst others. Holden's original plan, published in 1931 was more ambitious than what was eventually built. It had an enormous linear spine with 2 towers and 17 courtyards that extended from the British Museum to Byng Place; it would have dominated much of central London and would have taken decades to build. Only the first part of the approved scheme was built, incorporating the Library.

Holden designed the tower to taper, to "appear with quiet insistence", yet it was the tallest building in London (except for St. Pauls Cathedral) for a number of years, and was in effect "London's first skyscraper