First Look At Milton Court

First Look At Milton Court

This is a first look at the new designs for Milton Court in the City of London next to the Barbican. It's a controversial development thanks to the existing Milton Court which despite not being listed is considered one of the outstanding examples of concrete architecture by many in the U.K and one that Assael Architecture did a design for to try and retain the existing building.

The owner, the Guildhall School of Music, have teamed up with property developer Heron to redevelop the site to give them a modern building. The end result is a 140 metre tall tower with 44 floors that has been designed by David Walker Architects.

The first six floors will be occupied by the School of Music that will include a 650 seat concert hall, a 250 seat theatre, a t.v studio, plus various teaching and administrative facilities that a functioning music school needs.

Above it will be the tower element containing 293 new apartments. These will no doubt be a roaring success, apartments in this area sell like hotcakes, and with penthouses that feature floor to ceiling glass there will be one of the premier views in London for those rich enough to live here.

The basic design is a stepped building that at the blocky lower level responds favourably in massing to the lower-rise buildings around it creating a coherent streetscape. Clad largely in polished concrete and glass, as it progresses it steps up to the northern corner of the site and narrows on the 29th floor where an impressive roof garden is provided and the tower narrows again to its peak.

Located next to the Barbican there was the challenge for the architects of designing something that would respond favourably to this context hence the differing profiles that Milton Court will strike depending on the viewpoint, something it copies from the residential towers of the Barbican. In particular, the use of protruding balconies as a design feature have more than a hint of Chamberlain, Powell & Bon about them.

The Guildhall School of Music, want a new premises in time for 2009/2010 so there will have to be little hanging around with this project. Demolition and foundation work could commence in 2007 with construction proper in 2008, a rapid timescale by standards of many London projects.

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