Taberner House, Park Lane (1)

Image: © Stephen Richards Taken: Unknown

A large slab and podium block designed in-house by H. Thornley in 1964-67, the customer being Croydon Corporation. The slab narrows gradually at both ends so that the middle projects like a shallow arrowhead (also adopted in Portland House: Image]). It is named after Ernest Taberner, Town Clerk, 1937-63. Taberner House currently houses the council's main offices, but work is underway on its replacement. See the other side here: Image Between the 1950s and the 1970s Croydon experienced a burst of commercial development unparalleled anywhere else in the country. The impetus was provided by the Croydon Corporation Act of 1956 which gave Croydon Council powers to develop land in the borough. A combination of improved roads, government incentives to relocate from, and Croydon's proximity to, central London, and lower rents attracted employers in their droves. By 1970 about six million square feet of office space had been provided in central Croydon. Development has continued since, but at a much slower rate. From a distance the skyline is impressive (the nearest this country comes to Manhattan), but the problem is that few of the buildings are of architectural merit. In the foreground is Queen's Gardens.

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