Coventry's New Police Headquarters
| Published date | 01 January 1958 |
| Date | 01 January 1958 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X5803100110 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
COVENTRY'S
NEW
POLICE
HEADQUARTERS
57
Coventry's
New
Police Headquarters
WHAT have been described as "progressive modern police head-
quarters"-and
they certainly
are-have
recently been com-
pleted at Coventry. They contain a good many "advanced" features
of
construction
and
would undoubtedly repay a visit by any Chief Con-
stable likely to be interested in such a project in the near future. The
design is an unorthodox one
and
agood many up-to-date decorations
and
constructive techniques have been used, not to mention the
interior decoration.
It
is not unnatural that the Chief Constable of
Coventry should claim,
and
with justice,
that
his new Headquarters
"represent the prototype for police buildings in the future in which we
discard entirely the dark gloomy atmosphere
of
the conventional
police building in favour of light, spacious premises which are pleasant
to live in
and
with humanitarian conditions for prisoners."
The headquarters comprise a series of adjacent buildings which
cover a total ground area of 118,000 square feet and accommodate
300 personnel.
It
was originally designed by a former City Architect
and
Planning Officer of Coventry, Mr. Donald Gibson, and developed
by his successor in close liaison with the Chief Constable, the Watch
Committee and the Home
Office.
The construction was completed in
two years, which was one year earlier than the scheduled contract time.
The building includes (i) afour-storey administration block, (ii) an
assembly hall not unlike the ballroom of an hotel, (iii) accommodation
for resident police personnel, (iv) atom-bomb
proof
underground
premises for use in the event of war, (v) prison cells.
The Administration Block (staffed by the personnel of headquarters
and of
'A'
Division) houses the main offices, including telephone
control room, police women's offices, information room, wireless
room,
and
committee and conference room.
It
is a steel framed building
with hollow tile floors. The external stanchions are enclosed in concrete,
in which the rainwater pipes from the copper-covered
roof
are con-
cealed. The main entrance opens on to the public thoroughfare
and
there is a modern-style porch. The entrance doors open into a large
hall which contains a variety of modern decorations, including a
marble mosaic floor
and
Derby Dean stone walls. Adjoining this
block is a Traffic and C.LD. wing, a brick structure of two storeys.
The assembly Hall, at right angles to the C.I.D. wing, is a steel framed
building with brick walls. The accommodation comprises a foyer
entrance, complete with cloaks and toilets,
and
a main hall 80 ft. x
60 ft. with stage
and
dressing rooms. The floor is of maple
and
the
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