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I've been at the BBC for 15 years and I still get a tingle of excitement every time I walk through the doors of Broadcasting House, one of the BBC's many buildings. That's a pretty good way to be, I think.
Not only is it an amazing building architecturally but it is drenched in history. I can't imagine another building in the world that has had as many incredible people pass through its doors. As stupid as this sounds I do occasionally imagine ghostly visions of those people stood in the foyer when I pass through. It just has that magical air about it.
The statues on the front of building features Prospero and Ariel from Shakespear's 'The Tempest'. Prospero was a magician, and Ariel, a spirit of the air. The naked Ariel provoked outrage when the building was built in 1932 because of the size of his genitalia. Question were asked in the House of Commons on the offence to public morals. It's great to know we were creatively challenging form the beginning.
A few weeks ago Steve Bowbrick posted this picture of the Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House on Facebook. I love it. Apart from the raised bit at the back it's exactly the same as it is today. I've stood on that stage so many times talking the kind of nonsense I like to talk. Come to think of it the audience look so bored they could well be watching me giving a presentation on stage.
The architects truly made another piece of history with the interpretation of Ariel in that one. I haven't seen the building itself; it looks foreboding in the first picture (must be the insta effects). It must have also been a challenge to build that - remarkable, because it's still standing today.
Posted by: Ava Venson | June 09, 2011 at 03:32 PM