The ‘space age’ D10 Boots building in Beeston has always resembled something from Star Wars rather than the HQ for one of the UK’s leading pharmacy-led health and beauty chains. A strikingly ergonomic monolith of glass on the outside with a sweepingly fluid, arced design on the inside, it’s no wonder leading British designer Sir Paul Smith heralds it as one of his favourites.
“In comparison to other examples of design and architecture from that time the building was space age!” he enthuses. Thousands of glass discs set into the concrete roof allow light to flow in from above, with the internal galleries and bridges across the four storeys echoing an almost cathedral-like design.
One of Nottingham’s favourite sons, Sir Paul used to pass the distinctive building every day on the bus, and would wistfully wonder what it looked like inside. The designer picked the iconic site, in Thane Road, after being tasked by architecture hub The Building Centre to come up with a particular structure that impressed over the past 90 years.
