Baden-Powell House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 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 | Ralph Tubbs |
| Structural engineer | Harry Neal Ltd. |
Queen's Gate House is a large building in South Kensington, London. Many people still know it by its old name, Baden-Powell House. It was built to honor Lord Baden-Powell, who started the Scouting movement.
For many years, the building was a special place for Scouts and Guides. It offered affordable rooms for them and their families visiting London. It also served as a place for meetings and events. The building was designed in a modern style by Ralph Tubbs. It cost £400,000 to build, with most of the money coming from the Scout Movement itself.
The foundation stone was laid in 1959 by Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, who was the World Chief Guide. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the building in 1961. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scout Association sold the building. Now, it is owned by Mander Portman Woodward, an independent school. They use it for events and are turning the old hostel rooms into boarding rooms for students.
Contents
History of Queen's Gate House
How the House Was Built
| 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. |
In 1942, Chief Scout Lord Somers had an idea to build a hostel for Scouts. In 1953, a special committee was formed by The Scout Association. This committee, led by Sir Harold Gillett, decided to build a place where Scouts could stay cheaply when visiting London.
In 1956, the committee bought a property that had been damaged during the war. It was located where Cromwell Road and Queen's Gate meet. The land cost £39,000.
The Scout Movement worked hard to raise money for the building. Between 1957 and 1959, they collected most of the £400,000 needed. Scouts across the country collected 'ship' halfpennies, which brought in a lot of money. They also used special brick-shaped collection boxes and sent out appeal letters.
On October 17, 1959, the foundation stone was laid. Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, the World Chief Guide, placed the stone. Many important people were there, including the Lord Mayor and the Chief Scout. A special box was buried under the stone. It held Scout items from 1959, stamps, coins, and photos.
The Scout Association's Time at the House
On July 12, 1961, Queen Elizabeth II officially opened Baden-Powell House. There were 142 Queen's Scouts forming a Guard of Honour. The BBC even broadcast the event live. The Queen toured the house with the Chief Scout and her uncle, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. 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 building. Over time, the Scout Association grew, and their staff were split between Baden-Powell House and Gilwell Park.
In 1987, parts of the building were changed to host events and conferences. This made the building useful for more people. By 1993, the Scout Association decided to move all their headquarters staff to a new building at Gilwell Park. This move was completed in April 2001. The old office block next to Baden-Powell House was sold to help pay for the new building.
In 1997, Baden-Powell House was renovated. This £2 million project took six months. It added modern features like private bathrooms, double-glazed windows, and air conditioning. The conference areas were also improved. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the president of The Scout Association, reopened the house on June 5, 1997. There was also a museum called "The Baden-Powell Story" in the building.
The house always offered rooms for people visiting London. After 2001, this became its main purpose. It was part of the Youth Hostel Association for a few years. Later, it partnered with Meininger Hotels, offering discounts to Scout members. At its busiest, about 30,000 people stayed there each year, and 100,000 meals were served.
New Ownership: Mander Portman Woodward
In November 2020, The Scout Association announced they would sell the building. This decision was made because the COVID-19 pandemic affected their income. In March 2021, the building was valued at £46 million.
The sale was completed in August 2021. The new owner is Mander Portman Woodward, an independent school. Their London campus is very close by. They plan to keep the event and conference spaces. They are also adding new teaching areas, like an art studio. The old hostel rooms are being turned into boarding rooms for international students and students over 14 years old.
Building Design
How the Architect Got His Ideas
The house was designed by architect Ralph Tubbs in 1956. He was famous for designing the Dome of Discovery for the 1951 Festival of Britain. Tubbs' plans and a model of his design were shown to the public in 1957 to help raise money.
The building has six floors and is designed in the modern architectural style. This style was made popular by a Swiss architect named Le Corbusier in the 1920s. One of Le Corbusier's ideas was to make the first floor hang over the ground floor. This makes the building look like it's floating. Tubbs used this idea in Baden-Powell House.
Another idea from Le Corbusier was to have floors with small windows, like monk's cells, hanging over more open floors below. Tubbs also used this in the design of Baden-Powell House. However, Tubbs used more brick in his design instead of concrete, which was common in England after the war.
Harry Neal Ltd built Baden-Powell House following Tubbs' design. They won an award in 1961 for their work. The house also received an award for being "The building of most merit in London" when it opened.
Inside the Building
You enter the hostel and conference center from Queen's Gate. There's a wide glass atrium that acts as a large lobby with a cafe. From this lobby, you can reach a big 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 related to Baden-Powell. This exhibition was called The Story of B-P. It included many of his drawings and letters, like his original "Last message to Scouts". It also had early copies of his books.
The exhibition also featured a portrait of Baden-Powell painted by David Jagger. This painting was given to Baden-Powell in 1929 at the "Coming of Age" 3rd World Scout Jamboree. It was one of his favorite paintings and is often used in Scouting publications. The Baden-Powell collection was later moved to Gilwell Park, which is the main headquarters for Scouting in the United Kingdom.
A tall statue of Baden-Powell, nearly three meters high, stood outside the main entrance. It was sculpted by his friend Don Potter. The Duke of Gloucester unveiled it on July 12, 1961, during the official opening. In August 2021, the statue was also moved to Gilwell Park.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Baden-Powell para niños
- Baden-Powell International House, a hotel in Hong Kong for Scouts.
- Kandersteg International Scout Centre, a Scout centre in Switzerland.
- Scout Adventures (The Scout Association), places in the UK for Scout activities.
