Admiralty Arch, a London landmark with a rich history, stands as a symbolic entrance between The Mall and Trafalgar Square. The building, erected in 1912 under King Edward VII's commission in honor of his mother, Queen Victoria, was a creation of Aston Webb, who also designed the Victoria Memorial and redrafted Buckingham Palace's façade. The arch is a Grade I listed building and links to the Old Admiralty Building, having housed government offices, such as Louis Mountbatten's, from 1912 to 2011.
The Cabinet Office used the building as secondary offices in 2000. In 2012, the building was sold on a 125-year lease for £60m for redevelopment into a 100-room luxury hotel, residences, and private members' club, now known as the Waldorf Astoria. The remodeling is set for completion in 2026.
In 1997, artist Rick Buckley installed a lasting symbol of protest on the interior wall of the northernmost arch. A seven-foot-tall human-shaped nose serves as a poignant representation of the 'Big Brother' society paradox, combining architectural beauty and historical significance with an enduring reminder of freedom and awareness.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
Discuss this with the author and others
No comments yet. Be the first to start the conversation.