Keybridge House, Vauxhall, London

[ishl]

I've developed an obsession with this very distinctive building. It was built for BT as an exchange and completed in 1976. Covered in grey metal it is intimidating, and resembles a huge electricity generator. Getting any information about this building proved so difficult I'm beginning to think there's something conspiratory about it. The plans for it have disappeared from Lambeth Town Planning and the practice which built it is no longer in business. BT still uses it, but would not volunteer any information. I think it is a beautiful example of a certain kind of bold architecture, naive in it's brutal way. There is a picture attached. If anyone else has a love/hate relationship with 70's brutalism, or can help me find more information about this building please get in touch.

[Andrew Duffy]

That's quite a flattering picture. Try this one:

http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/110672/

[Paul Clerkin]

Quite grim isn't it. Has a certain communist bloc big brother attitude

[ishl]

in the extreme. it look completely impenetrable and rises straight from the ground on the south lambeth road side without any features at eye level. it’s like a cross between a machine and a monolith. also, it looks like there’s a huge underground parking/basement. i can see the entrance to it. btw, it is heavily protected and the security almost removed me by force when i walked in to ask about it.

[Paul Clerkin]

probably where BT bug your phone calls

[al2637_ie]

Have actually been in this building. It is very secure... mobile phone restrictions, guards accompanying most of the time, endless sealed corridors....

It is (or part of it at least) used as a massive hosting center. One of the most secure I have ever seen.... not surprising though, as they host systems for many banks etc.. actually the DreamCast net system was based there too...

[scotty]

Did you remember the name of the architectural practice who designed it? Its not in Pevsner.

I believe the building is for secure private telephone networks....

I'm a big fan of it too

Scott

[ishl]

it was G W Mills and Associates and it was built 1975 - 6. no further details about the architect or the building at RIBA. it is still BT's, but is now used to house secure servers

[ken dudney]

I worked on the construction of Keybridge house in 73 and 74.

It has 2 basement levels, mainly carparking and machine/boiler rooms. The main entry gates to the carpark are in fact bulkheads that seal the basement in case of flooding of the Thames.

There are no tunnels leading into the building. At the time is was built for the London central telex and telephone exchange.

Taylor Woodrow were the builders.