Survey Data
Reg No
50910057
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Social
Original Use
Office
In Use As
Office
Date
1955 - 1960
Coordinates
315703, 233936
Date Recorded
19/05/2016
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Corner-sited attached five-storey office building, built 1956, having chamfered corner, replacement shopfront to Exchequer Street and to part of Dame Court, entrance to middle of Dame Court elevation. Flat roof with thin concrete parapet. Brick walls to upper floors and granite to ground floor. Ribbon windows to upper floors, having twelve lights to Dame Court and three to Exchequer Street, set within slightly recessed openings with granite surrounds, and with granite piers between steel casement windows. Roundels between upper floors to both elevations. Vertical oval openings to upper floors of chamfered corner, with letters 'CHC' (Central Hotel Chambers) monogram in metalwork. Four window openings to ground floor at north end of main elevation, with fixed metal windows. Narrow ribbon windows to footpath level below ground floor windows, with granite piers to match placement of those above. Entrance area set within cut granite centrepiece and having square-headed doorways flanking three-light ribbon window. This window, and similar window above principal doorway and to footpath level, have decorative metalwork grilles with 'CHC' monogram. Main entrance has double-leaf timber panelled door and steps inside, leading up to glazed and timber panelled double-leaf inner door. Wooden panel (possibly original) inside front door with list of building occupants.
Appraisal
Central Hotel Chambers is a good example of mid-twentieth-century office architecture, by architects McDonnell & Dixon. It carefully addresses both Dame Court and Exchequer Street, its chamfered corner displaying unusual oval windows, all having a monogram adverting to the building's name. The roundels are another decorative touch, and the decorative metal grilles to some of the windows of the ground floor add further visual interest. The contrast between brick and granite is also a pleasant feature. The entrance area provides a focus for the building and, again, the detailing is visually interesting. It stands in a district of good brick buildings, directly opposite the very large Central Hotel and George's Street market .