Institute of Chartered Accountants

Through his analysis of their existing estate, William Whitfield convinced the Institute of Chartered Accountants that they could retain their historic home in the City of London. His extension was a clever set of additions in various styles and a remodelling that made the most of John Belcher’s 1890 ‘Edwardian Baroque’ building, itself already extended in a sympathetic style in 1930 by his partner J.J. Joass. Whitfield added a further three bays and a new baroque porch at the corner of Copthall Avenue and Great Swan Alley, all designed using Belcher elements found in the original building. This strong termination of the façade in the historic style provided a counterpoint to the uncompromisingly modern extension with all of its brutal might on display. Much of the building though is hidden from view in this tight inner London site, but the articulated forms of the stair and lift cores were ably constructed to give animation and texture to the street, detailed in such a way that the care and quality of design were evident. The rough ribbed concrete contrasts against flush finished glazing and polished grey granite for the infill walls. Easy to miss, but an accomplished scheme by the widely underappreciated Whitfield. The Belcher building was listed in 1950 and was reappraised in its totality in 2015, it is assessed at Grade II*.