With its peeling paint, neo-brutalist lines and Cold War looks, 336 Brixton Road sports all the charisma of a soon-to-be-condemned failed council project, but this stark concrete oddity from the late 1960s has a rather high fallutin’ past.
Rather rudely wedged between two early 19th century houses, the strikingly modernistic structure certainly makes an impact in this photo from Lambeth Landmark, taken shortly after opening.
No doubt looking well funky and cutting edge on the achitect’s drawing board, the building was built as a warehouse for Chadesley Investment Ltd (now part of Greycoat plc.).
In 1971, the five storey block was converted to be used as a computer centre for none other than the ultra-traditional, toff-tastic private bank, Coutts & Co.
Not for the likes of us
Coutts is known as a bank for the rich and famous of British society, the bank’s client list has included Queen Victoria, Lord Byron, Frédéric Chopin, the Duke of Wellington, Charles Dickens, Lord Nelson and The Beatles.
Despite being taken over by RBS in 2000, Coutts remains secretive and selective about their customers, allegedly refusing to take former glamour model Katie Price (aka ‘Jordan’) as a client, even though her wealth was estimated at £30 million.
Coutts Bank cleared off in 1979 and the building remained empty until 1984 when the property was given to Lambeth Accord by RBS/NatWest.
Lambeth Council then funded the building conversion into a centre of accessible excellence and initially four disability charities moved into the building [Source: RIBA – PDF file].
The building now provides office accommodation for 13 charities housed on the 1st to 4th floors of the building, and there’s a few small offices on the ground floor along with a community conference centre.
This photo was taken back in December 2005, straight after the Routemaster bus had been taken out of service – hence the banner celebrating its demise.
I think it’s fair to say that time hasn’t been too kind to this building, and with the recent demise of the Pope’s Road car park, it’s making a good case to grab the now-vacant accolade of ‘Brixton’s Ugliest Building’.
It desperately needs a lick of paint. Or demolition.
Related posts:
Premier League trophy comes to Brixton as Barclays Bank relaunches
Brixton Brady’s, offshore developers and Lambeth Council’s broken promises to the community
Brixton Bolt 100m race in Popes Road, Brixton – photo report
‘Ice Skate in Brixton this Christmas’ predicts Lambeth Council
A rain-lashed August Bank Holiday Monday in Cardiff, south Wales
Brixton Station Road car park to become ice rink
Barclays Bank Brixton closed down by UK Uncut protesters
My bank sucks
I work in this building and I’m rather fond of it’s ugliness! It’s a valuable community resource which means a great deal to the very many older and disabled Lambeth residents who use it. It’s worth popping in to Reception and having a look at the architectural plans that Accord are currently fundraising for – very ambitious and potentially very good for Lambeth people.
If you work there then you should know that it’s “The 336 Building”, not “Accord”; Accord vanished from there over 10 years before your post.
This article contains a common error; the landlord who took over in 1984 was “The 336 Association” (now “Block 336”), not “Lambeth Accord” (the latter were the largest of the charities to whom the 336 Association sublet the building). People still call it “Lambeth Accord” even though they are long gone, having gone bust around 2000.
Robert: the website still says, “We Are 336, You know us as Lambeth ACCORD” and “We are 336 is the operating name of Lambeth ACCORD.
http://www.weare336.org.uk/
And here too (from Feb 2013, two years after the article was written):
http://www.disabilitylambeth.org.uk/news/warm-and-well-at-lambeth-accord/
No wonder people get confused!
It may need a coat of paint but it doesn’t need to be demolished to be replaced by a mock Georgian executive flats or a post-modern gated mews.
I like it.