The controversial London Wall West redevelopment project, which involves the demolition of the new former Museum of London and Bastion House, is set to proceed. The redevelopment, designed by architecture firms Diller Scofidio & Renfro and Sheppard Robson, will replace the landmark 170s buildings with a modern office complex. The City of London has confirmed that the Secretary of State for Leveling Up, Housing, and Communities, Michael Gove, has decided not to call in the plans to reevaluate the former museum, allowing the project to move forward.
The former Museum of London, characterized by its distinctive white tiles and rotunda, and Bastion House, a structure reminiscent of New York’s Segram Building, were both designed by the RIBA Gold Medal-winning practice Powell & Moya. Valued for their architectural significance and historical context, these buildings sit adjacent to the Barbican Estate.
The new development features three major buildings: a 17-storey New Bastion House, a 14-storey Rotunda Building, and a smaller five-story office building. Together, these three structures will offer a combined office space of 56,000 square meters. The redevelopment also boasts cultural space, including plazas and gardens, and a public roof garden offering green space in the city.
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The new design also transforms the urban landscape, replacing the raised walkway with a new traffic system. Designed to loop around one of the office buildings, this “peninsula” traffic system seeks to improve connectivity and pedestrian access in the neighborhood.
The decision to proceed with the development has sparked significant controversy and opposition. In fact, according to the Architects’ Journal, nearly 1,000 objections were submitted against the planning application, highlighting the carbon impact of demolishing the buildings and the loss of architectural heritage. Some campaigners, including Barbican Quarter Action, argue that the 1970s structures should be retained and retrofitted to preserve their historical value.
Despite these objections, the City of London has persisted with its plans for the area. The rehabilitation is a component of a larger plan to supply 1.2 million square meters of new office space by 2040 in order to meet the City’s demand for contemporary office space. The latest designs from Sheppard Robson and Diller Scofidio & Renfro seek to demonstrate a modern approach to architecture by emphasizing open public areas and incorporating cultural facilities to produce a lively, mixed-use urban setting.
The project’s completion will change the border’s skyline, signaling the beginning of a new phase of commercial growth. Marking a shift from the mid-20th-century modernist architecture to a new era of development, the decision underscores the city’s decision to evolve its infrastructure to meet future needs.
Around the world, several other modernist and mid-century landmarks are facing demolition threats. Most recently, an announcement was made to disassemble Wayfarers Chappel or “Glass Church” in Los Angeles, citing “accelerated land movement in the area.” Last year, the Mäusebunker building in Berlin was placed under monument protection, saving it from the threat of demolition. Milan’s iconic Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, known as San Siro, has recently been spared from demolition by the Regional Commission for the Cultural Heritage of Lombardy due to its cultural significance.
