**History and Construction**
– Baden-Powell House, also known as Queens Gate House, is a conference center in South Kensington, London.
– Established in 1953 by the Baden-Powell House Committee, it was built as a tribute to Lord Baden-Powell, founder of Scouting.
– Designed by Ralph Tubbs in a modern architectural style, the house opened in 1961 after being funded mainly by the Scout Movement.
– The foundation stone was laid in 1959 by Olave Baden-Powell, with funds raised through public appeals, donations, and Scout collections.
– The building was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1961 and served as The Scout Association headquarters until 2001.
– A refurbishment in 1997 added modern amenities and enhanced conference facilities.
**Use by Organizations**
– From 1974 to 2001, Baden-Powell House was the headquarters of The Scout Association and used for events, conferences, and as a museum dedicated to Baden-Powell’s life.
– In 2001, the focus shifted to providing hostel accommodation, with partnerships with organizations like Meininger Hotels.
– The building saw high usage, with an average of 30,000 people staying overnight and 100,000 meals served annually.
– In 2021, The Scout Association sold the building to Mander Portman Woodward for £46,000,000.
– The new owners plan to retain the events and conference facilities and convert hostel rooms into boarding accommodation for students.
**Architecture and Layout**
– Baden-Powell House was designed by architect Ralph Tubbs in 1956 in a modern style influenced by Le Corbusier.
– The building features a six-story design with modern architectural elements reflecting the trends of the 1950s.
– The layout includes a wide glazed atrium entrance, a large foyer with a cafe, an auditorium seating up to 300 people, a restaurant seating 100 guests, and meeting rooms on the second floor for up to 80 delegates per room.
**Baden-Powell Collection**
– The Baden-Powell Collection housed memorabilia of Lord Baden-Powell, including drawings, letters, and first editions of his books.
– Original items like a painting by David Jagger and a three-meter high granite statue of Baden-Powell by Don Potter were part of the collection.
– The collection was previously displayed in The Story of B-P exhibition and later moved to Gilwell Park.
**Related Links and References**
– Related links include the Baden-Powell International House in Hong Kong, Ellsworth Augustus Scout House in New Jersey, and Kandersteg International Scout Centre.
– References for the content include news articles, publications, reports on Scouting history, and financial statements related to the building’s development.
Queen's Gate House, still commonly known by its previous name of Baden-Powell House, is a conference centre in South Kensington, London. It was built as a tribute to Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, and has served as the headquarters for The Scout Association, as a hostel providing modern and affordable lodging for Scouts, Guides, their families and the general public staying in London and as a conference and event venue.
Queen's Gate House | |
---|---|
Former names | Baden-Powell House |
General information | |
Architectural style | Modern architecture |
Address | 65 Queen's Gate |
Town or city | Kensington London, SW7 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Completed | 12 July 1961 |
Cost | £400,000 |
Client | The Scout Association |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Ralph Tubbs |
Structural engineer | Harry Neal Ltd. |
Website | |
www |
The building committee, chaired by Sir Harold Gillett, Lord Mayor of London, purchased the site in 1956, and assigned Ralph Tubbs to design the house in the modern architectural style. The foundation stone was laid in 1959 by World Chief Guide Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, and it was opened in 1961 by Queen Elizabeth II. The largest part of the £400,000 cost was provided by the Scout Movement itself and the building previously included a number of tributes to the founder including hosting a small exhibition about Scouting, and a granite statue of Baden-Powell by Don Potter located outside the building.
Following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a decline in numbers of Scouts using the facility, the Scout Association sold the building to Mander Portman Woodward who run it as an events and conference venue and are converting the hostel rooms into boarding accommodation for students.