27–29 Long Acre
Only very slight traces of both ‘London’s favourite fruiterers, T Walton & Sons (London) Ltd’ [note This was Walton’s warehouse and head office. They also owned a chain of shops situated in tube stations which all used similar lettering.] and ‘Saint Martins School of Art’ remain on this façade. The building has been cleaned of its history both within and without. No evidence can be seen of the original floor plan in the new H&M and the ground floor façade is only an approximation of the original fenestration.
St Martin’s School of Art bought the lease to this building in 1980 and re-used the letters left by the previous owner making the extras needed to re-sign the frontage.
[note Although the college merged with the Central School of Art & Design to become Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in 1989, the new name never appeared on the building.] When the graphics course left the building in November 1999 they took the letters with them and re-erected them on the fourth floor the college’s Lethaby building in Southampton Row.
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Despite being made of thin steel in a hollow box-section, these letters had considerable presence when viewed from the street.
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The letters from Long Acre on the fourth floor of Central Saint Martins Lethaby building in Southampton Row.
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The letters from Long Acre on the fourth floor of Central Saint Martins Lethaby building in Southampton Row.
At ground level
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Although only a version of the typeface Helvetica, the smaller name at street level was in sympathy with the building by virtue of its material: steel.