SNN109415 - Historic Building Recording at Greyfriars Bus Station, Northampton January 2014

Northamptonshire Archaeology (now trading as MOLA) carried out a programme of historic building recording at the Greyfriars Bus Station and Greyfriars House in January 2014, prior to the demolition of the structure. A controversial building and an example of the brutalist architecture popular in the 1970s, the Greyfriars station was designed by ARUP Associates on behalf of the Northampton Borough Council and constructed in the mid 1970s to encourage growth and increase visitors to the town centre and the newly constructed Grosvenor Centre. Built with six levels including an underground concourse, ground level bus station, mezzanine, car park and three office levels, the structure utilised an innovative skeleton of post-tensioned, reinforced concrete trusses to carry the offices and car park over the station below. At the time of this survey, the three office levels and car park were derelict and in a state of disrepair whilst the concourse, bus station and mezzanine were still in use. The main areas of the building including the tower and associated walkway were accessed. The roof level plant rooms were deemed unsafe and were not entered.