Billingsgate Market
Fish has traditionally been landed on this site, on the north bank of the Thames. In 1877, Sir Horace Jones, the architect of the adjacent Tower Bridge, rebuilt to old fish market to this design. In the mid eighties, the market moved down river leaving the current building looking for a new use. Around the same time, the stock market in the UK became de-regulated and there was a need for new dealing offices. BIllingsgate Market was considered ideal. Richard Rogers carried out a sympathetic conversion of the existing fabric, inside and out, adding a couple of mezzanine floors to increase the available floor area. Most of Rogers' signature work is internal and therefore not visible to the public. Sadly the conversion never found a tennant and the building was never used as offices, as intended. Fortunately the large spaces did lend themselves to other uses such as fashion shows, exhibitions and galas, which are regularly held here.
HOME
No MIMOA account? Register here!