Baden-Powell House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Queen's Gate House |
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| 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 | Ralph Tubbs |
| Structural engineer | Harry Neal Ltd. |
Queen's Gate House, often called Baden-Powell House, is a large conference center in South Kensington, London. It was built to honor Lord Baden-Powell, who founded Scouting. For many years, it was a special place for Scouts, Guides, and their families to stay when visiting London. It also hosted many events and meetings.
The idea for the building started in 1953. A special committee, led by Sir Harold Gillett, bought the land in 1956. Ralph Tubbs designed the building in a modern style. Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, who was the World Chief Guide, laid the first stone in 1959. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the house in 1961. The building cost £400,000, and most of this money came from the Scout Movement itself. The building used to have a small museum about Scouting and a granite statue of Baden-Powell outside.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer Scouts used the building. So, The Scout Association sold it to Mander Portman Woodward. This company now uses it for events and meetings. They are also changing the old hostel rooms into places for students to live.
Contents
History of the House
Building it
| From a speech by Queen Elizabeth II |
| Baden-Powell himself has gone, but his Movement remains and grows—a memorial more enduring than stone or steel. It is fitting, however, that here in England, where he started it, there should be a house bearing his name and serving the needs of the Movement, expressing our gratitude in a practical way. |
The idea for Baden-Powell House began in 1942 with Chief Scout Lord Somers. In 1953, The Scout Association formed a committee to build a hostel. This hostel would offer Scouts an affordable place to stay while visiting London. In 1956, the committee bought a damaged property for £39,000. It was located where Cromwell Road and Queen's Gate meet.
The Scout Movement raised most of the £400,000 needed to build and furnish the house. This happened between 1957 and 1959. Scouts all over the country collected 'ship' halfpennies. This effort brought in a lot of the money. Funds were also raised through public appeals and donations. Many Scouts were present at the opening ceremony.
On October 17, 1959, Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, the World Chief Guide, laid the foundation stone. Important guests like Sir Harold Gillett and the new Chief Scout, Sir Charles Maclean, were there. A special box was buried under the stone. It held Scout memories from 1959, stamps, coins, and photos.
Used by the Scout Association
On July 12, 1961, Queen Elizabeth II officially opened Baden-Powell House. One hundred and forty-two Queen's Scouts formed a Guard of Honour. The BBC even broadcast the event live. After the opening, the Queen toured the house. A black marble panel was placed in the hall to remember this special day.
From 1974 to 2001, Baden-Powell House was the main headquarters for The Scout Association. In 1976, the Queen opened a new office part of the house. Over time, the building also started hosting events and conferences. In 1993, the Scout Association decided to move its headquarters to Gilwell Park. This move was completed in April 2001. The old office block was sold to help pay for the new building.
Thirty-five years after it opened, Baden-Powell House was updated. A £2 million project took six months to complete. It added modern features like private bathrooms, double-glazed windows, and air conditioning. The conference areas were also improved. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, who was the president of The Scout Association, reopened the house on June 5, 1997.
Since it first opened, Baden-Powell House offered a hostel for visitors to London. After 2001, this became the main purpose of the building. It was a popular place, with about 30,000 people staying overnight each year. The restaurant also served 100,000 meals.
Used by Mander Portman Woodward
In November 2020, The Scout Association announced they would sell the building. This was due to the challenges from the 2020 Covid crisis. In August 2021, the building was sold to Mander Portman Woodward. This is an independent school that has another campus nearby. They plan to keep the event and conference spaces. They will also add new teaching areas, like an art studio. The old hostel rooms are being changed into boarding rooms for students.
How it was Designed
Architectural Style
The house was designed by architect Ralph Tubbs in 1956. Tubbs also designed the famous Dome of Discovery for the 1951 Festival of Britain. His plans and a model of the house were shown during a fundraising event in 1957.
The building has six floors and is built in the modern architectural style. This style became popular in the 1950s. Tubbs made the first floor hang over the ground floor. This design choice makes the building seem to float above the ground. It was a style often used by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier.
Tubbs used brick as the main material for Baden-Powell House. This made the building feel solid and strong. Harry Neal Ltd built the house based on Tubbs' design. They won a special award in 1961 for their work. The house also received an award for being 'The building of most merit in London' when it opened.
Building Layout
You enter the hostel and conference center from Queen's Gate. There is a wide glass atrium that acts as a large entrance area. This area also has a cafe. From the atrium, you can reach a large hall. This hall can be used as an auditorium and can seat up to 300 people.
The first floor has a restaurant that can seat 100 guests. On the second floor, there are meeting rooms and conference facilities. These rooms can hold groups of up to 80 people. The upper floors used to have 180 hostel bedrooms.
Baden-Powell Collection
For many years, Baden-Powell House displayed a special collection of items belonging to Baden-Powell. This exhibition was called 'The story of B-P'. It included many of his drawings and letters. Visitors could see the original of his Last Message to Scouts. There were also first editions of his books. A famous painting by David Jagger was also on display. This painting was a favorite of Baden-Powell's.
This collection of Baden-Powell's items has since moved. It is now at Gilwell Park, which is the main headquarters for Scouting in the UK. At Baden-Powell House, smaller displays now show some traditional Scouting skills.
A tall statue of Baden-Powell used to stand outside the main entrance. It was nearly three meters high. This statue was made of granite by his friend Don Potter. It was unveiled on July 12, 1961, by the Duke of Gloucester. In August 2021, this statue was also moved to Gilwell Park.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Baden-Powell para niños
- Baden-Powell International House, a hotel for Scouts in Hong Kong
- Ellsworth Augustus Scout House, a hostel for Boy Scouts in the US
- Jamboree on the Air, the radio call sign for Baden-Powell House was GB3BPH
- Kandersteg International Scout Centre
- Scout Adventures (The Scout Association)
