New People's Palace

The original People's Palace (q.v. 3347) opened in 1887, and was destroyed by fire in 1931. It was decided that the replacement would be on a new site to the west of the original building in St. Helen's Terrace.

The 'New People's Palace' finally opened in 1937. The exterior design, by Campbell Jones & Smithers, was in a modern, stripped classical style in Portland stone and red brick, in two storey with attics. There were two projecting entrance bays; the centre bay with five narrow windows in each storey and, at first floor level, five symbolic sculptural panels by Eric Gill. The main auditorium probably owed more to George Coles than to Campbell Jones & Smithers, a simple interior with single balcony, rectangular proscenium and shallow domical ceiling (an irregular hexagon) with coffered margin; on either side a single box hung on flush walls with walnut dadoes. The small hall was flat-floored with cine-projection facilities. The entrance lobby was lined with brick and paved with Travertine.

The building operated for some time independently, presenting theatrical, cinematic, musical and a great variety of other entertainments, but it was not, in the long run, financially successful and was acquired by the adjacent college (Queen Mary University) in 1954. Alterations during the 1950s included moving the entrance to the eastern side of the building, and the construction of a link passage to the main college building (the site of former People's Palace, now called the Queen's Building).

A major reconstruction was undertaken by Tim Foster in 1996 to reorganise the public areas and provide new lecture rooms. The entrance foyer has been restored to its original use (but still with its side entrance), providing access to all levels. The Great Hall, a multi-purpose space, remains as found and largely as Coles left it. The old flat-floored Stern Hall is now a single-rake lecture room. The new work throughout has been detailed in a crisp modern manner which sits comfortably with the original work.