Barnet House, London, Office building in Whetstone, London, United Kingdom.
Barnet House is a twelve-story office block located at 1255 High Road in Whetstone, distinguished by alternating bands of concrete and metal-framed windows running across its facade. The building's structure creates a strong visual presence on the street with its layered appearance.
Completed in 1966 and designed by architect Richard Seifert, the building replaced Woodside villa, which operated as a residential care facility from 1889 onwards. This transformation reflected the shift from private residential use to modern commercial offices.
The building originated as Ever Ready House, serving the British Ever Ready Electrical Company before becoming Barnet's town hall. Over decades, it became a symbol of local administration and civic presence in the neighborhood.
The building sits on a well-connected location with multiple transport options nearby, including Underground stations and bus services to central London. Walking around the site allows visitors to view the structure from different angles and understand its place within the wider street.
In 2017, a redevelopment proposal aimed to convert the building into residential apartments, with some units planned to be exceptionally small. This attempt reveals ongoing debates about how to repurpose the structure for modern residential needs.
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