6 Burlington Gardens
Sir James Pennethorne
1866-9
Portland stone, red Mansfield stone
This building lies just north of the Royal Academy, in the grounds of Burlington House.
Photograph and text Jacqueline Banerjee
Pennethorne designed this building to house the offices of the University of London in its early years, when the University operated largely as an examining board. The building was opened by Queen Victoria in May 1870, and served its original purpose until 1899, after which the University moved on to the Imperial Institute building in South Kensington. Since then 6 Burlington Gardens has been occupied by several institutions, most notably the Museum of Mankind. It was damaged by fire in August 2006, and the Royal Academy is now redeveloping it for exhibition space and other functions. At the west side is the entrance to the Royal Academy Schools.
As so often, Pennethorne had to work under pressure of time, space and budget. Debate about the design, and consequent changes to it, went on even after the building had begun to rise from the ground. This reflects the Battle of the Styles, as Pennethorne was forced to veer between the Classic, the Gothic and the "Modern" (Sheppard). A particular issue was how far the building's appearance should harmonise with that of the Royal Academy itself, though the politician and "architectural pundit" A. J. Beresford Hope pointed out testily that the only way to see both buildings together was to go up in a balloon (Crook). As for space, it was realised even then that there was no angle from which the new structure's "thirteen bay Italianate façade" (Weinreb and Hibbert 111) could be fully appreciated. Nevertheless, the completed work was "admired for the liberal use of sculpture in an elevational design which expressed unaffectedly the simple and convenient plan" (Sheppard).
The sculptures which are such an important part of the façade not only added to the cost but caused some controversy of their own, with the University needing to insist on Jeremy Bentham (an important inspiration in the founding of University College London) as the figure representing Law. Along with Bentham above the portico are Newton, representing Science; Milton, representing Arts; and Harvey, representing Medicine. These figures were all the work of Joseph Durham. Other sculptures adorning the façade are of celebrated classical, foreign and British figures. These are also by well-known sculptors of the day, such as William Theed, junior, and J. S. Westmacott.
6 Burlington Gardens was Sir James's last work: he died in the following year.
Sources
Crook, J. Mordaunt. "Hope, Alexander James Beresford Beresford (1820-1887)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Online ed. Viewed 18 December 2007.
Sheppard, F. H. W., gen. ed. "The University of London at No.6 Burlington Gardens." Survey of London, Vols 31 and 32, St James Westminster, Part 2. 1963. (This is an excellent source, giving much more detail about the problems Pennethorne faced.)
Weinreb, Ben and Christopher Hibbert, eds. The London Encyclopaedia. London: Macmillan, rev. ed. 1992.
Last modified 19 December 2007