Design
The overall design from the air appears to resemble a question mark in shape. The architect, Graham Dawbarn, (Norman & Dawbarn), drew a question mark on an envelope (now held by the BBC Written Archives Centre) while thinking about the design of the building, and realised that it would be an ideal shape for the site.[39] An article in The BBC Quarterly, July 1946, proposed a circular design, several years before Dawbarn drew up his plans. The building features a central circular ring (officially known as the Main Block, but often referred to by BBC staff as the "doughnut"), which comprises a central courtyard around which were studios, offices, engineering areas and the News Centre.
The building as opened in 1960 was extended a number of times, notably along the 'spur' towards Wood Lane in line with the original masterplan although the actual implementation was completed over a number of decades and by different architects. Despite a number of extensions, the BBC had to seek accommodation elsewhere, such as the nearby BBC White City complex comprising White City One, a 25,000 square metre office building, and the adjacent Broadcast and Media Centres.
Helios statue
In the central courtyard of the doughnut, raised on a central column, is a gilded statue designed by T. B. Huxley-Jones of Helios, the Greek god of the sun, symbolising the radiation of the light of television around the world. At the foot of the statue are two reclining figures, symbolising sound and vision, the components of television. It was originally a fountain, but owing to the building's unique shape it was too noisy for the staff in the overlooking offices, and there were problems with water leakage into the videotape area which for a long time was directly beneath.[40]
Atomic Dots
Affectionately known as the Atomic Dots, the 26 white circular disks attached to the exterior façade of Studio 1 are among the building's most recognisable architectural details, becoming a defining visual element of the BBC and appearing on countless television broadcasts. They form a geometric grid of three rows, which run the span of the large and otherwise unadorned rectangular red brick facade. Conceived as a functional as well as an aesthetic feature, each disk is backlit and clearly illuminated at night. Their colloquial nickname arose due to the mid-century modern design cues that are evocative of the atomic age. Designer Arthur Hayes developed the pattern by experimenting with a scale foam model, using drawing pins to explore their placement. Hayes also designed the original lettering positioned above the facade, a typography that was then incorporated across the complex.[41]
John Piper mosaic
In the main entrance lobby is a large mosaic mural designed by John Piper that was installed ahead of the opening of the building in 1960. Piper worked with Dennis M. Williams on its manufacture and installation. Measuring 7.6 metres by 4.2 metres, it extends over the full width of the west wall. Thousands of glost-fired ceramic tesserae combine to create a multicoloured abstract design that mirrors the mid-century modern design aesthetic seen elsewhere around the building.[42][43]
Listed status
The development of the Westfield shopping centre nearby led to a sharp rise in property prices and placed the Television Centre under threat. In February 2008, with an amendment in November, English Heritage requested listed status for the scenery workshop, the canteen block adjoining the Blue Peter Garden, and the central building.[44][45][46] Previously, under a longstanding deal between the BBC and English Heritage the building was not listed to allow the BBC to make changes necessary in a broadcasting centre. In return, the BBC agreed that if it left, the fabric of the building would be restored to its mid-1960s state, and English Heritage would list notable features.[47]
On 17 June 2009 the Central Ring of the building and Studio 1, noting in particular the John Piper mosaic, central drum with its mosaic tiles, the Huxley-Jones gilded statue of Helios, full-height glazing of the stair and original clock in the Central Ring, received Grade II listed status from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.[48]
Current studios
Currently, and in the later years of the BBC's occupation of the centre, the studio facilities were run by the wholly owned commercial subsidiary BBC Studioworks. The studios vary in size and all studios were usually abbreviated to initials, such as TC1 (Television Centre 1) for Studio 1.
The studios have hosted a wide variety of television programmes covering a diverse range of genres for a range of broadcasters. Notable productions hosted at the centre prior to 2013 include Strictly Come Dancing, Harry Hill's TV Burp, Match of the Day, Later... with Jools Holland, Miranda, The Alan Titchmarsh Show, The Armstrong & Miller Show, 8 Out of 10 Cats as well as big complex live productions such as Children in Need and Comic Relief. Classic BBC productions hosted at the site include some of Britain's best known television programmes including Fawlty Towers, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Blue Peter, Absolutely Fabulous, the original Doctor Who series and most of the best known BBC drama series.
From the 1980s the use of the complex for such productions declined with the last major drama series to be shot there being The House of Eliott,[51]
- Studio 0 – 1260 sqft – Opened in 1989 as a music studio, it would later become a control room as Studio 12. Productions for UK Play and, later on, virtual reality programmes, were produced here. It was home to Liquid News between 2000 and 2002 and CBeebies in vision continuity between 2002 and 2008, with the studio subsequently used by BBC R&D.
- Studio 4 – 6300 sqft – Opened in January 1961, TC4 had a similar layout to TC3, and was designed as a light entertainment studio. It was upgraded for colour production in 1970 and to HDTV and surround sound production in 2008. Programmes such as Z-Cars, Top of the Pops, Strictly Come Dancing, and Room 101 were recorded in TC4.
- Studio 5 – 2400 sqft – Opened in August 1961, it was initially used to broadcast programmes from BBC Schools, with an adjacent area used for such programming that was linked to the studio. It was converted for colour production in 1973, and was closed in the mid-1980s. Following a two-year refurbishment in 1987, sports programmes such as Match of the Day, Football Focus, and Grandstand were recorded in TC5 until November 2011, when the Sports department moved to MediaCityUK in Salford.
- Studio 6 – 6440 sqft – Coinciding with BBC Two's switch to colour, TC6 opened in July 1967. It was the first such studio to be equipped for colour production. The initial plan was to build a split studio with a large, removable wall in the middle, but this idea was abandoned. Children's programmes such as
Studio 10
111 square metres (1,200 ft2)
Opened as N1 in September 1969, it was used for the BBC1 daytime news bulletins, and the home of BBC World (previously BBC World Service News) from 1993. Closed in spring 1999 when news bulletins moved to the News Centre section of Television Centre, and renamed as TC10. Used for some programmes by channel UK Play until the station's closure. Between 2004 and 2006 it was used for in-vision continuity for CBBC on BBC One and BBC Two, before being used by some programming for CBBC such as Level Up. From 2010 to 2011 it was the home of CBeebies.
Studio 11
186 square metres (2,000 ft2)
Opened as N2 in September 1969, and the same size as N1, it was used for the BBC2 daytime news bulletins. Extended in 1985 to include props store and adjacent lobby, it became home to the Six O'Clock and Nine O'Clock News. In spring 1999, following the completion of the News Centre spur of Television Centre, the news moved out and it was renamed TC11. In 2002 it became home to Liquid News and later to the other BBC Three news programmes 60 Seconds and The 7 O'Clock News. It briefly played host to the domestic BBC News bulletins while their studios were refurbished in 2006, before becoming general purpose. It was home to Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two until 15 December 2011, after which the studio was closed.
Studio 12
56 square metres (600 ft2)
Originally built as a control room for the music studio originally located in Studio 0. Studio 12 was converted into an ad-hoc studio in 2004 for CBBC programmes. It was also used for Sportsround for some years, but was eventually converted into a presentation studio in 2006. It was used for in-vision continuity for CBBC and changed into an in-vision continuity studio in summer 2007. The set was transferred to a mini studio in the East Tower. It was used by BBC Research.[57]
Pres A
65 square metres (704 ft2)
Opened in 1960, designed for in-vision continuity for BBC 1, but was used as such for only three years. Became weather studio prior to the move to the BBC Weather Centre in 1990 (also in Television Centre), following which it was used by Children's BBC to supplement presentation from the 'Broom Cupboard', and was used for slots such as birthdays and public holidays.[58] It became full-time home of Children's BBC in 1994 following the vacation of the 'Broom Cupboard'. It closed following CBBC's move to TC9 and was converted into additional presentation control rooms. The substantially thick wall between Pres A and B was removed and a mezzanine floor constructed to house a larger presentation control area for interactive and children's channels CBBC and CBeebies.
Pres B
65 square metres (704 ft2)
Opened in 1964, Pres B was designed for in-vision continuity for BBC 2, but that channel did not use in-vision continuity for more than a few months after launch. Became a general purpose studio housing small productions such as Points of View, the Film series with Barry Norman and The Old Grey Whistle Test. It closed in 1996 and initially remained disused until it was converted (along with Pres A) into additional presentation control rooms. The substantially thick wall between Pres A and B was removed and a mezzanine floor constructed to house a larger presentation control area for interactive and children's channels CBBC and CBeebies.
News studios
In addition to these studios, BBC News used a number of studios for the frequent news bulletins. These studios have a different naming system owing to their permanent usage and were not included on most studio lists, as they were unavailable for hire.
These studios were located in Stage 5 & Stage 6, commonly known as the BBC News Centre. BBC News moved out of Stage 6 in 2013 to the new BBC News Centre at New Broadcasting House in Central London. After redevelopment, Stage 6 became the new home to the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC Studios.
There was no N7, to avoid confusion with TC7, which housed 'big' news programmes such as BBC Breakfast, Working Lunch, and Newsnight.
- N1 – Previously BBC One daytime bulletins. Became TC10
- N2 – Previously BBC Two daytime bulletins. Became TC11
- N3 – Small studio off main newsroom, before being made part of newsroom, separated by glass panels.
- N4 – Studio, became part of the BBC Club bar
- N5 – Originally studio for BBC Arabic Television service, which closed in 1996. It was a storeroom until 2001 when it was used for the BBCi service, then from 2007 as a home for Click prior to its move to Broadcasting House in 2012.
- N6 – Formerly home to BBC News at One
Infrastructure
In February 1996, the electricity and heating were transferred to a European Gas Turbines (EGT) 4.9MWe Typhoon gas turbine combined heating, power and cooling unit.[59] It included a 6MW Thermax air conditioning (cooling) vapour absorption machine (VAM). The £6million HVAC system reduced energy costs by 35%, and paid for itself within three years. A second turbine was added, without a second chimney. However, in 2008[60] the BBC admitted that the energy system was being used for emergency purposes only as it had become cost-ineffective to use full-time. Excess electricity produced at night has not been returned to the National Grid, as originally planned. In November 2003, the turbine's chimneys caught fire, bringing TV output to a halt. After the fire the turbines were no longer used regularly.
