Celebrating Phase 1 of the Television Centre project

Blog Entry

BBC Television Centre is an iconic piece of commercial architecture and is familiar to TV viewers from numerous generations. The property faced an uncertain future in 2010 though because many services were relocated to new buildings in Salford. The decision was ultimately made to transform the property, creating new homes, commercial spaces, and community facilities.
Phase 1 of the project is almost complete. This means that residents will soon be able to move into the 432 flats created in the Helios building and the nine-storey Crescent.

Homes with unique shapes and interiors

The incredible thing about the new homes is the range of different shapes and layouts. The design of the Helios and Crescent buildings meant that at times some of the properties were challenging shapes. Consequently, teams from a number of firms, including our own Coffey Architects, took on the projects. The end results are incredible.

One of the most interesting things about the projects is the change to the forecourt. This is what most people think about when they consider BBC Television Centre. Sadly it was originally private so not many people were able to gain access. The redevelopment has transformed it into a public square. There are now amenities in the area too including cafes, a gym, and a hotel.

Wonderful restoration work

Restoration of a number of original has been done as part of the project. The most notable is the Helios Statue. The 3 metre tall bronze statue and sculptures of Sound and Vision remain at the heart of the forecourt. In addition, the beautiful mosaic by John Piper in the lobby is still in place.

The brand new 2 Television Centre has replaced the original stem of the building. It will house modern commercial architecture including workplaces. There will also be commercial properties at the base. In addition, restoration and modernisation has been done on the three remaining TV studios.

The project is a big success and preserves the celebrated building. We are proud to have been involved and look forward to seeing the results of Phase 2 in the future.