Facadism in Fitzrovia

This might look like a fairly nondescript elevation but in fact it is one of the original facades of the old Middlesex Hospital in Nassau Street, W1. Almost all of the old hospital site (apart from the chapel in the middle of the site) was demolished to make way for a new development. I assume it must have been a requirement of the planning permission to retain this facade, and I recall accompanying a group of students on a site visit here in 2013 when the facade was literally just a 'skin' supported by a massive temporary steel frame. I took a photograph of it at the time, which can be seen here.

Facadism is quite a contentious issue in the building conservation world. Sometimes I think it can be quite successful, by preserving the street scene, but in many cases, as here, I think it is just token conservation. The context has been completely lost and the facade is now indistinguishable from the massive redevelopment around it. 

The new development, known as Fitzroy Place, is mainly residential with apartments starting at around £4.5 million!