Tower Hamlets Town Hall
{{Short description|Municipal building in London, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2022}}
{{about|the current town hall (opened 2023)|the previous town hall (1992–2023)|Mulberry Place}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name =Tower Hamlets Town Hall
| native_name =
| image =Tower Hamlets Town Hall 2023 (1).jpg
| caption =Frontage of the Town Hall, 2023
| locmapin =United Kingdom London Tower Hamlets
| map_caption =Shown in Tower Hamlets
| coordinates ={{coord|51.5186|-0.0601|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| location =160 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BJ
| area =
| built =1757 (façade)
| architect =Boulton Mainwaring (façade)
Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (conversion)
| architecture =Neoclassical style
| designation1 =Grade II Listed Building
| designation1_offname = The London Hospital
| designation1_date =21 September 1973
| designation1_number = 1065788
| website =
}}
Tower Hamlets Town Hall is a municipal facility on Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel, London. The new structure, which has been commissioned as the headquarters of Tower Hamlets London Borough Council, incorporates the façade of the old Royal London Hospital which is a Grade II listed building.{{NHLE|desc=The London Hospital|num= 1065788|access-date=16 October 2021}}
History
The original hospital was designed by Boulton Mainwaring in the neoclassical style, built in yellow brick and opened in September 1757.{{NHLE|desc=The London Hospital|num=1065788|accessdate=16 October 2021}} The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with seven bays facing onto Whitechapel Road; the central section of five bays featured an arcade of round headed windows on the ground floor, a mullioned window with tracery spanning the first and second floors in the left hand bay and sash windows on the first and the second floors in the other four bays. The windows were flanked by full-height Doric order pilasters supporting an entablature and a pediment with a clock in the tympanum. The Barts Health NHS Trust, who operated the hospital, vacated the old hospital building when it completed its relocation to modern facilities to the south of the old hospital in spring 2016.{{cite web |url=https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/skanska-sells-london-hospital-stakes|title=Skanska sells London hospital stakes|publisher=The Construction Index|date=7 December 2015|access-date=16 October 2021}}
In February 2015 Tower Hamlets London Borough Council acquired the old hospital for £9 million and announced plans to convert it into a new "civic centre" to which it would relocate from its existing premises at Mulberry Place.{{cite web|url=https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/politics/old-royal-london-hospital-sold-for-9m-to-tower-hamlets-council-for-a-new-town-hall-1-3947250|title=Old Royal London Hospital sold for £9m to Tower Hamlets council for a new town hall|date=6 February 2015|publisher=Docklands and East London Advertiser|accessdate=16 October 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tower-hamlets-mayor-spends-9m-turning-old-hospital-into-council-palace-10028492.html|title=Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman spends £9m turning old hospital into council 'palace'|date=6 February 2015|publisher=Evening Standard|accessdate=16 October 2021}} The project was intended to bring wider regeneration benefits to the Tower Hamlets area.{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/exigere-developinglondon/docs/exigere_magazine_dl2_digital_online |title=Developing London: Whitechapel Civic Centre |page=34|publisher=Exigere| accessdate=16 October 2021}} Planning consent for the conversion was given in March 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2018/03/02/londons-tower-hamlets-council-approves-100m-civic-centre/|title=London's Tower Hamlets Council approves £100m civic centre|publisher=Construction Enquirer|date=2 March 2018|accessdate=16 October 2021}}
The construction required to deliver the conversion commenced in February 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/bouygues-starts-tower-hamlets-town-hall-project|title=Bouygues starts Tower Hamlets town hall project|date=21 February 2019|publisher=Construction Index|accessdate=16 October 2021}} The work was undertaken by Bouygues at a cost of £109.5 million to a design by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris.{{cite web|url= https://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2018/03/contractors-appointed-tower-hamlets-105m-new-town-hall-whitechapel/ |title= Contractors appointed for Tower Hamlets' £105m new town hall in Whitechapel|date=4 March 2018|newspaper=East London Lines| accessdate=16 October 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cashstrapped-tower-hamlets-splashes-out-ps3m-on-awardwinning-architects-for-civic-centre-a3247691.html|title=Cash-strapped Tower Hamlets splashes out £3m on award-winning architects for civic centre|date=15 May 2016|newspaper=Evening Standard|accessdate=16 October 2021}} The design involved the retention of the listed facade and the construction of three new buildings behind the facade arranged around a new public square.{{cite web|url= https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/heritage-at-risk/search-register/list-entry/50166 |title= Royal London Hospital - front block, Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel E1 - Tower Hamlets|publisher=Historic England| accessdate=16 October 2021}} The new building opened on 1 March 2023.{{cite news|url=https://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2023/03/historic-whitechapel-building-reopens-as-tower-hamlets-new-town-hall/|title=Historic Whitechapel building reopens as Tower Hamlets' new town hall|newspaper=East London Lines|date=1 March 2023|access-date=17 March 2023}} It won the 2025 RIBA London Building of the Year.{{Cite web |date=14 May 2025 |title=RIBA London Awards 2025 winners announced |url=https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/riba-london-awards-2025-winners-announced |access-date=17 May 2025 |website=Royal Institute of British Architects}}