‘Even its loos are on the outside’: hi-tech, inside-out marvel the Lloyd’s building is partying with the public
It has been likened to a monster, an oil rig – and the Parthenon. Now, for its 40th birthday, the astonishing London landmark has joined the Open House festival, to grant admirers a rare look around the inside
TL;DR
- The Lloyd's building, 40 years old, is participating in London's Open House festival for a rare public viewing.
- Designed by Richard Rogers, it's a key example of British hi-tech architecture with exposed concrete, external steel towers for services, and glass lifts.
- The building's interior, rarely seen, will be accessible, including the trading floor, atrium, underwriting room, and the historic Adam Room.
- The Adam Room, originally from Bowood House, was moved and reassembled within the Lloyd's building.
- The Lutine Bell, used to signal maritime disasters, is housed on the main trading floor.
- The building's design, with external services, allows for a flexible and open interior space.
- Historians and critics have described the building variously as 'monstrous,' inspired by oil rigs, or compared to the Parthenon.