41 Albemarle Street

‘Clean and shapely’, according to the Architect’s Journal in January 1963. This neat corner block, over seven floors and a basement, by Michael Mellish of Peter Moro and Partners for Hille of London’s similarly sharp furniture, drew praise for its considered detailing and finishes. Reinforced concrete columns and pre-cast floor slabs, enclosed by aluminium curtain walling with silvered-grey glass panels beneath the windows made a tidy addition to the streetscape of this illustrious part of town. The interiors were designed by Robin Day and featured unfinished board-marked in-situ concrete with carefully positioned bolt holes and contrasted with the smooth glazing system and other internal walls finished in polished plaster. A filigree spiral staircase, sparingly detailed, connected the basement and first three floors of showrooms, was the only feature to draw the eye from the furniture on sale. To the rear, a smaller two floor annexe, above a car park, was clad with vertical slats screening horizontal strip windows to provide differentiation from the main block. The roof of the annexe provided space for the display of garden furniture. The building was Grade II listed in 1995 and is now occupied by Thai Airways.