London's Congress Centre unveils new reception area and foyer – the location for new BBC drama

Before the paint was even dry on Congress Centre’s recently-completed reception and foyer it was snapped up by BBC2 as a location for its new drama, Money. The stunning new space, designed by Hugh Broughton Architects, has successfully achieved its aim of introducing more space, colour and light to Congress Centre’s entrance and welcome area. Thanks to an array of LED colour-change lights, the venue can now adapt its colours – even its own logo – to the organisation hiring the space. According to Centre Director, Robert Girvan, “We wanted hirers to feel that Congress Centre is an extension of their own brand or premises, and thanks to the new design this objective has definitely been achieved.” The main wall in the reception area has been covered in striking large hexagons, reflecting the design of the original 1950s’ space-frame glass ceiling in Congress Hall. There is a new Corian desk with colour change LED lights to match the main bulkhead and a 42-inch plasma screen which can be used for the main conference welcome message. The main registration area, lit by a vast 30m x 1m linear Barrisol structure (the longest in London), has an impressive white glass wall measuring 3m x 9m with a huge 103-inch high definition plasma screen. The new glass registration desk also has colour change LEDs to match the illuminated Congress Centre logo behind, with colour-change down-lights along the glass partition. Up-lights illuminating the underside of the foyer’s impressive staircase add to the stunning visual effect.