K6 Telephone Kiosk outside of Tate Britain

Tate Gallery, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

A K6 telephone kiosk, from a design of 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1436250
Date first listed:: 31-Aug-2016
List Entry Name:: K6 Telephone Kiosk outside of Tate Britain
Statutory Address:: Tate Gallery, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1436250
Date first listed:: 31-Aug-2016
List Entry Name:: K6 Telephone Kiosk outside of Tate Britain
Statutory Address 1:: Tate Gallery, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Tate Gallery, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Greater London Authority
District:: City of Westminster (London Borough)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ3014778495

Summary

A K6 telephone kiosk, from a design of 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.

Reasons for Designation

The K6 telephone kiosk outside the Tate Britain on Millbank is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Design interest: it is an iconic C20 industrial design by Giles Gilbert Scott;

* Group value: the telephone kiosk has a strong collective visual relationship with four listed buildings.

History

The K6 telephone kiosk is a milestone of C20 industrial design. The K6 was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 for the General Post Office, on the occasion of King George V's Silver Jubilee. The K6 was a development from his earlier highly successful K2 telephone kiosk design of 1924, of Neo-classical inspiration. The K6 was more streamlined aesthetically, more compact and more cost-effective to mass produce. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960) was one of the most important of modern British architects; his many celebrated commissions include the Anglican cathedral of Liverpool and Battersea power station. The K2 and K6 telephone kiosks can be said to represent a very thoughtful adaptation of architectural tradition to contemporary technological requirements. Well over 70,000 K6s were eventually produced. In the 1960s many were replaced with far plainer kiosk types. But many still remain, and continue to be an iconic feature on Britain's streetscapes. The K6 Kiosk outside the Tate Britain bears the King's crown, dating it to before 1952.

Details

The kiosk stands on the pavement to the south-east of the gates, railings and piers of Tate Britain (National Heritage List for England reference 1267605, listed at Grade II), and the Tate Britain itself (NHLE reference 1222913), which is listed at Grade II*. Additionally it has a visual relationship with the statue of Sir James Robert McGrigor (NHLE reference 1066502), and the Royal Medical Corps Officers Mess and Commandants House (NHLE reference1376570), which are both listed at Grade II, and stand 50m to the south-west. The telephone kiosk has a collectively strong visual relationship with all four of these listed buildings.

The K6 is a standardised design made of cast iron, painted red overall with long horizontal glazing in door and sides and with the crowns situated on the top panels being applied not perforated. The kiosk is painted red and has original rectangular white display signs, reading TELEPHONE beneath its shallow curved roof.

INTERIOR: all glass is intact; the kiosk houses operational C21 telephone equipment*.

* Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 23/11/2016

Sources

Websites
The Telephone Box, accessed 24/7/2016 from http://www.the-telephone-box.co.uk/kiosks/k6/

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.