To walk the length of Regent Street from park (St. James’s) to park (Regent’s) is a huge treat which allows many layers of London history to be peeled away and examined. At its top end, Regency architect John Nash’s great vision commences with the wonder of Park Crescent – originally planned as a circus, but the financial troubles of the developer led to revisions. The immense grace of the crescent leads to Portland Place, which impresses with its great width, and provides our first hint of the avenues and boulevards of Paris.
Inspired by what the Adam brothers had already achieved in Portland Place, Nash was determined that his new Regent Street would replicate its sense of scale and grandeur. Needing to follow the line of Crown Estate-holdings, this meant the dogleg at Langham Place, a challenge Nash rose to with sublime skill in his glorious All Soul’s church. From here it’s across Oxford Circus and into what most of us would probably regard as Regent Street proper. Progressing downwards, we meet a gradual curve as it comes round to Piccadilly Circus. This is the Quadrant, and what an amazing feature it is, what a remarkable detail in the great wonder that is the architecture of London. The history of this series of buildings is by no means a simple one.
By the late nineteenth century much of Nash’s original work was feeling the pinch of time. Regent Street was still a great retail centre, but as shopping moved more towards the department store format, retailers required more space, and particularly window space. A Commission was formed to examine the issue and it requested designs from Richard Norman Shaw. These caused some controversy among storeowners who were not convinced that the plans met their requirements. Debate and discussion went on and in 1916 it was decided that Aston Webb, Ernest Newton and Reginald Blomfield should collaborate on designs for the Quadrant.
In the event, Blomfield took the lead on the Quadrant and produced a wondrous piece of work clearly inspired by French classicism and Beaux-Arts. It’s such a treat to stand at Piccadilly Circus, look back up Regent Street and wonder where you are. Is this the Rue de Rivoli, the Avenue Kléber or perhaps Avenue Marceau? At the terminal buildings on the northern and western side of Piccadilly, take in the charming dormers, the soaring windows, Ionic columns and rusticated, fluted stonework at the street level.
There are also the most obvious bits of Norman Shaw’s original design in the arched windows, which caused such problems for shopkeepers trying to display their wares. And this is where Blomfield brought in an additional touch of charm and genius. Wander along to the junction with Air Street.
Here Blomfield used the rusticated arches to cross the road above which he placed a bridge. Each bridge has four Roman Doric columns stretching up to the roof level while the parapets have carved wreaths. It is a lovely detail to have light and air flowing through Air Street. The vision that forms itself in front of the eye looks familiar. It’s not Paris this time, but Ieper. Are we back at the Menin Gate?
Let’s take a walk together and find France and Belgium in London.
