Marco Polo House, Architectural structure in Battersea, England.
Marco Polo House was an office building at 346 Queenstown Road in Battersea with a distinctive glass-ceramic exterior that faced the River Thames and Battersea Park. The structure combined modern materials with geometric forms, creating a notable landmark along the South London waterfront.
The building was completed in 1989 by Peter Argyrou Associates and initially served as headquarters for British Satellite Broadcasting before merging with Sky. Following the relocation of QVC television studios in 2012, the structure was demolished in 2014.
The building's postmodernist style, designed by Ian Pollard, employed geometric forms and a marble-effect exterior that reflected the architectural trends of the 1980s. This approach gave the structure a distinctive look that stood apart from typical office buildings of its era.
Visitors can walk to the Queenstown Road location where the building stood, recognizable from its distinctive glass-ceramic facade along the riverbank. The site sits near Battersea Park, offering easy access and good orientation in the area.
The building was clad in Neoparium, a specialized Japanese glass-ceramic material chosen for its resistance to harsh weather conditions. This material choice was unusual for its time and reflected the designer's forward-thinking approach.
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