Building Name

The Ford Motor Company Showroom and Offices 88 Regent Street London

Date
1928 - 1930
Street
Regent Street
District/Town
London
County/Country
England
Client
Ford Motor Company
Work
New Build
Contractor
Western Construction Company

THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY’S OFFICES REGENT STREET -  The Ford Motor Company’s new premises at 88 Regent Street W are eight storeys in height, and the exterior is of grey Portland stone. On the ground floor is an arc of plate glass rising nearly two storeys, surrounding a massive dark polished granite setting, in which the doors give entrance to the main showroom. This showroom is of striking design, consisting of a continuous seascape, made of thousands of pieces of vari-coloured marble and mosaic. The upper part of the showroom is of silver and gold, the gold mosaic of the piers merging into green as they Afan@ towards the ceiling. The ceiling is composed of 81 coffered panels, the whole being covered with silver metal leaf. Glass stars are let into 45 of these panels. At the further end of the salon id the lift, enclosed in a wrought iron and glass grille, and approached bya flight of black marble steps. Here too, is a series of archways with marble columnar supports leading to the showroom in the rear. Another arcaded storey surmounts them, with a balcony from which the salon below may be seen. The floor of this balcony is of glass, in curved panels and at one end there is a marble fountain. Three other large showrooms are incorporated in the building. One of these, on the ground floor at the rear of the main salon is panelled in oak. The entire  mezzanine floor, where the decorative scheme resembles Caen stone, will also be used as a showroom. The entire first floor is also given over to showrooms, having mahogany panelling surmounted by special plaster-work. A car lift on the Glasshouse-street side of the building will bring in the cars for these showrooms and will also give access to the basement. On the second floor are the chairman=s office and boardroom suite. These rooms are carried out in polished walnut and silver enrichment. The floor is also of walnut. On the third, fourth and fifth floors are many offices, large and small, a number panelled in mahogany. On the top floor of the building is the conference hall, with a seating capacity for more than 80 people. The main central stairs are constructed entirely of fire- resisting materials, and every window or screen adjoining them is glazed to give similar protection.

The general contractors are the Western Construction Company and the following are sub-contractors: Steelwork - London and Wales Steel Construction Company ; Floors - Caxton Floors Limited; Joinery throughout - Samuel Elliot & Sons; Slates - Wiggins Sankey; paint - Thomas Parsons; distemper - John Hall and Sons; plasterwork - Veronese Limited; general and special plaster - Mab-l-cote; heating - G N Haden and Sons; electrical installation - Waring Withers and Chadwick; internal telephones - Relay Automatic Telephone Company; plumbing and sanitary fittings - Stitson White and Company; iron escape stairs, pavement lights and deck lights - Heywoods Limited; steel windows and roof lanterns - Henry Hope and Sons; Portland stone frontage - United Stone Company