#10 HARRODS

KNIGHTSBRIDGE, LONDON, UK

What kind of list would this be if we didn’t mention Harrods? Not only is it one of the most iconic department stores in the world, it is also the biggest in Europe. The huge building occupies a five-acre site, offers 330 departments and covers one million square feet.

Known around the world for its delectable food court and festive Christmas window displays, Harrods, has come to be a landmark of London.

The building was erected in 1883 at 105 Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, in the place of the previous store which burnt down. Despite this ordeal, Charles Harrod fulfilled all of his Christmas orders that year and raised enough money to rebuild.

Architect, Charles William Stephens, was enlisted to design the store. In 1905, after nine years of hard work, he completed the building we are familiar with today.

Harrod’s was the first store to install an escalator, advertising it as ‘London’s first moving escalator.’ The invention was so alien to customer’s that they feared to get on it. The escalator was made from a woven conveyor belt unit with a mahogany and silver plated glass balustrade. Once reaching the summit of the moving steps, customers were given a brandy as a reward for making it to the top.

Make Architects

This was a far cry from the sixteen escalators Harrods installed in 2016 designed by architect firm, Make, which were designed to be structural rather than purely functional.

Zander Olsen

Make were also tasked with revamping the store’s entrance. The company stripped back the 1930s refurbishments to reveal the original features. It then added contemporary finishing, bringing the store up to date. The restoration included 16 sets of nickel bronze-clad escalators and a new glass dome. It was one of the most complex refurbishments to a grade II listed building ever to be attempted.

Make Architects