CENTRE POINT ARCHITECTURE: RICHARD SEIFERT'S BRUTALIST LANDMARK IN LONDON

Centre Point is one of the most recognisable and contentious towers on the London skyline — and one of the most important. Completed in 1966 at St Giles Circus, where Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road and Charing Cross Road converge, it was designed by R. Seifert and Partners, with George Marsh as lead designer, for property developer Harry Hyams.

At 117 metres and 34 storeys, Centre Point was among the first true skyscrapers in London, its precast concrete façade — a diamond-pattern grid of cruciform mullions and deep-set glazing — arriving on a skyline still largely defined by Victorian and Edwardian brick. The building became notorious almost immediately: Hyams left it deliberately empty for nearly a decade after completion while office rents rose, making Centre Point a symbol of speculative greed at a moment of acute housing shortage. In 1974 it was occupied by housing activists in protest. It has been Grade II listed since 1995, and was converted to residential use between 2015 and 2018.

  • Written by Gavin Paisley, director & model-maker at Chisel & Mouse based in East Sussex, England.
  • Last updated: 17-Feb-26.

Photograph by Stephen Richards.

Centre Point facade architectural scale model

Looking for a Centre Point architectural model?

Centre Point is available as two distinct architectural objects by Chisel & Mouse:

What is Centre Point?

Centre Point is a high-rise office tower located at the junction of Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, and Charing Cross Road. Rising prominently above one of London’s busiest intersections, the building was conceived as a modern commercial landmark at a time when the city was redefining its architectural identity.

From its completion, Centre Point stood apart from surrounding fabric — taller, more assertive, and resolutely modern in both material and form.

Facts panel

Grade II listed mixed-use tower at St Giles Circus, central London (London Borough of Camden and City of Westminster). Constructed 1963–66; converted from offices to residential 2015–18.

  • Practice: R. Seifert and Partners
  • Lead designer: George Marsh
  • Developer: Harry Hyams (Oldham Estates)
  • Structural engineers: Pell Frischmann
  • Contractor: Wimpey Construction
  • Constructed: 1963–66; cost approximately £5.5 million
  • Height: 117 metres (385 feet); 34 storeys
  • Location: 101–103 New Oxford Street / St Giles High Street, London WC1
  • Architectural style: Post-war modernism; Brutalist-influenced
  • Original use: Speculative office space
  • Current use: Residential (82 apartments); conversion by Conran and Partners
  • Designation / status: Grade II (Historic England listing 1113172, listed 1995)

Architectural style and design approach

Centre Point is often associated with Brutalist and late modernist architecture, though its refinement and precision distinguish it from more expressive Brutalist buildings.

Key architectural characteristics include:

  • a strict modular concrete façade
  • deep-set windows creating shadow and depth
  • a clear expression of structure through repetition
  • emphasis on verticality and mass

Rather than ornament or symbolism, the building’s identity is created through rhythm, proportion, and material honesty.

The façade as architecture

The defining feature of Centre Point is its façade: a highly regular grid of precast concrete panels and recessed glazing. This repetition produces a strong visual texture, allowing light and shadow to articulate the surface throughout the day.

The façade is not decorative — it is the architecture. Its graphic clarity makes Centre Point instantly recognisable and especially suited to abstraction and reinterpretation.

Photograph by Mike Peel.

Public reaction and controversy

When Centre Point was completed, it was met with strong public reaction. Its scale, stark appearance, and initial lack of occupancy made it a symbol of speculative development and modernist excess.

Over time, however, attitudes shifted. The building came to be recognised as an important example of post-war architecture and a defining element of London’s modern skyline.

Adaptation, reuse, and legacy

In the 21st century, Centre Point underwent sensitive redevelopment, transforming it from an office tower into residential use while preserving its architectural identity.

This adaptation reinforced the building’s status as a durable and flexible piece of architecture — capable of change without losing its character.

Today, Centre Point is widely regarded as a landmark of London modernism and a touchstone in discussions about the preservation of post-war architecture.

Model-maker's lens

Centre Point is a model-maker's gift: the façade is essentially a piece of geometry rather than a piece of building. The cruciform precast concrete mullions lock together into a diamond-grid pattern that repeats up the full height of the tower, and the deep-set glazing creates consistent shadow at every register. There is almost no hierarchy — top, middle and bottom follow the same logic — which means the building's character is completely present in even a small section of façade.

  • Focus — the long principal elevation with its full-height diamond-pattern grid; the slight taper of the tower, the pilotis at base level, and the roofline plant room that caps the rhythm.
  • Detail — the cruciform profile of the concrete mullions catches light from different angles throughout the day, giving the surface a restless texture that belies the rigid geometry. This is what we aimed to preserve in the model.
  • How it reads at small scale — exceptionally well. The grid is so strong and so consistent that it asserts itself immediately. The PopArc version particularly suits this building — the graphic quality of the pattern translates directly into wall art.
  • How to display — the façade model works well with a direct light source, which picks up the shadow in the recessed glazing and the three-dimensional quality of the mullion profile. The PopArc is designed for wall mounting and the pattern benefits from being seen flat-on.

As an object, Centre Point is a study in how repetition and module become identity — a building whose entire character is generated by a single precast unit, multiplied.

View our facade architectural model, focused on the building’s structure and rhythm and our framed wall-mounted PopArc model.

Visiting Centre Point today

Centre Point remains a prominent feature of central London, visible from multiple vantage points and integrated into one of the city’s most active urban nodes. Its transformation into residential use has ensured its continued relevance within London’s evolving architectural landscape.

Frequently asked questions about Centre Point

Who designed Centre Point?

Centre Point was designed by George Marsh.

When was Centre Point built?

The building was completed in 1966.

What architectural style is Centre Point?

It is associated with post-war modernism and Brutalist-influenced architecture.

Where is Centre Point located?

It is located at Tottenham Court Road, London.

Why is Centre Point controversial?

Its scale, appearance, and speculative origins sparked public debate, which later evolved into appreciation.

Is Centre Point still in use?

Yes — it has been converted to residential use.

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Sources / further reading