PLYMOUTH POST OFFICE (1957)
5 St Andrews Cross
Photograph © Derek Tait via Flickr
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Architect: Cyril Pinfold Year: 1957 Selected bibliographical references Architectural Review Jan 1954, p. 43-44 Pearson, F. E. Plymouth's great day Post Office Magazine Nov 1957, p. 328-329 Post Office Magazine Oct 1957, p. 17 Western Morning News 20 Feb 1946, p. 2; 6 Sep 1948, p. 6 History Opened: 10 Sep 1957 Closed: 19 Sep 2016 Current use: Restaurant |
Building description
From: The Architectural Review January 1954, p. 53-54
The site is in the heavily blitzed part of the town, and forms part of an area of redevelopment. It is situated at the junction of two major roads converging on to a new roundabout ... The planning has been largely determined by the peculiar shape of the site, and the most suitable disposition of the public office to meet operation requirements. The accommodation is arranged on four floors, the upper floors being "single banked" only in order to meet the height requirements of the planning authority. Future expansion will be catered for by "double banking" the side wings of the building. The public office has been kept back from the frontage to provide the requisite length of counter under full supervision and to permit of additional height. The writing room and entrance lobbies maintain the reduced height of the side wings which accommodate requirements directly related to the operations of the public office. The upper floors accommodate general offices, a large telegraph instrument room,dining and welfare rooms, lavatories and locker rooms ... The building will be of reinforced concrete frame construction, with hollow block floors and roof. The walls will be of cavity construction with brick outer skin and block inner skin between the frame. It is a condition of the local authority that the building should be faced in stone. This will be in the form of thin stone slabs in two colours, textural interest being gained by change in the pattern of the joints. Polished black granite slabs will be used on the flank walls in the entrance lobbies, with thin sawn slate slabbing to the curtain wall below the cills on the ground floor. The columns will be faced with polished terrazzo ... In the public office certain of the wall surfaces will be in flush panelling, the counter being hardwood. The floor finish will be terrazzo. It will be top lighted, the laylight also housing the general artificial lighting required, lighting of a higher intensity being provided over the counter. Other internal finishes will be largely painted plaster walls. Heating generally will be by low pressure hot water; with panel heating in the public office.
The site is in the heavily blitzed part of the town, and forms part of an area of redevelopment. It is situated at the junction of two major roads converging on to a new roundabout ... The planning has been largely determined by the peculiar shape of the site, and the most suitable disposition of the public office to meet operation requirements. The accommodation is arranged on four floors, the upper floors being "single banked" only in order to meet the height requirements of the planning authority. Future expansion will be catered for by "double banking" the side wings of the building. The public office has been kept back from the frontage to provide the requisite length of counter under full supervision and to permit of additional height. The writing room and entrance lobbies maintain the reduced height of the side wings which accommodate requirements directly related to the operations of the public office. The upper floors accommodate general offices, a large telegraph instrument room,dining and welfare rooms, lavatories and locker rooms ... The building will be of reinforced concrete frame construction, with hollow block floors and roof. The walls will be of cavity construction with brick outer skin and block inner skin between the frame. It is a condition of the local authority that the building should be faced in stone. This will be in the form of thin stone slabs in two colours, textural interest being gained by change in the pattern of the joints. Polished black granite slabs will be used on the flank walls in the entrance lobbies, with thin sawn slate slabbing to the curtain wall below the cills on the ground floor. The columns will be faced with polished terrazzo ... In the public office certain of the wall surfaces will be in flush panelling, the counter being hardwood. The floor finish will be terrazzo. It will be top lighted, the laylight also housing the general artificial lighting required, lighting of a higher intensity being provided over the counter. Other internal finishes will be largely painted plaster walls. Heating generally will be by low pressure hot water; with panel heating in the public office.
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