It has probably the closest concentration of Grade I listed buildings by different architects in the whole of London.
John Nash, the leading Regency architect and friend of George IV, was responsible for many of the lovely white stucco buildings in this area of town. St Andrew’s Place is on the south-west corner of Regent’s Park. He designed numbers 1-8 and built them in 1823.
Slightly further down the social order was George Thompson who built the even grander houses at 9-10 a couple of years later in 1826.
Across from the Georgian splendour of Nash’s houses is a more modern building, It is occupied by the Royal College Of Physicians who moved here from Pall Mall in 1964. I t was built by Denys Lasdun and Partners who also extended it in the 1990’s. Lasdun is famouse for his brutalist National Theatre building on the South Bank and, as you can imagine, it is quite a contrast to the Regency houses.
It is a lovely street and you are invited to enjoy the well-planted gardens of the Royal College of Physicians, which is a pleasure to do on a warm autumn lunchtime.
No’s 1-8 St Andrews Place, the work of John Nash
No’s 9-10 St Andrew’s Place, by George Thompson
A phone call in the garden of 9-10 St Andrew’s Place
Windows in black and white, between 6 and 7.
Heavy iron gateposts
The gate to No 2
Railings, greenery and columns
No 1 in black and white
The Royal College of Physicians at No 11 St Andrew Place
Where old meets new: No 9-10 joins Denys Lasdun’s The Royal College of Physicians at No 11 St Andrew Place
The old doctor: Thomas Linacre
Thomas Linacre hanging from the the wall of The Royal College of Physicians
Thomas Linacre’s rather fine view.