View source for Export House

{{Use dmy dates |date=March 2017 }}
{{Use British English |date=March 2017 }}
{{Infobox building
|image              = Export House.JPG
|caption            = Export House in 2011
|name               = Export House
|highest_region     = Woking
|highest_start      = January 1974
|highest_prev       = 
|highest_end        = September 2019
|highest_next       = [[Victoria Square, Woking|Victoria Square]]
|map_type            = Surrey
|map_alt             = 
|map_caption         = Location in Surrey
|status             = Complete
|building_type      = Office
|completion_date    = 1974
|location           = [[Woking]], [[Surrey]], UK
|roof               = {{Convert|73|m|ft|0}}
|floor_count        = 15 at ground level or above
|elevator_count     = 4
}}
'''Export House''' in [[Woking]], [[Surrey]], is a tall office building formerly also known as the '''BAT Building''' during its tenancy by [[British American Tobacco]].  It was the tallest in Woking and among the five tallest buildings in Surrey until the construction of [[Victoria Square, Woking|Victoria Square]] in September 2019. Its height is {{convert|73|m|ft}} spread over its 18 floors (15 above ground).

==History==
Export House was the significantly tallest aspect of the Surrey town regeneration after [[World War II]], which centred on the expansion and improvement of [[satellite town]]s, in this county being [[Guildford]] and [[Woking]]. It was built at the same time as the Wolsey Place [[shopping mall|Shopping Centre]], which is a [[wikt:contiguous|contiguous]] building.  Export House was the tallest building in the [[borough of Woking]]. Construction of Export House finished in 1974.  It became tenant-ready in 1976 when it was part-let to the first lessee, BAT who then expanded across the remaining floors.

[[File:Woking Skyline.JPG|thumb|Export House within Woking's skyline, 2011]]

===Tenants and lessees===
In 1976, British American Tobacco<!-- not PLC, as that term was created in 1981 --> moved in as the first tenant, making it their headquarters. Export House had already been completed two years previously in 1974. In 1997 BAT chose to relocate to a new building in London.<ref name="GetSurrey">{{cite news |url=http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/business/s/80095_surrey_loses_600_jobs_as_bat_is_lured_to_london |title=Surrey loses 600 jobs as BAT is lured to London |work=Get Surrey |publisher=[[Trinity Mirror]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405084632/http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/business/s/80095_surrey_loses_600_jobs_as_bat_is_lured_to_london |url-status=dead |date=28 February 1997 |archive-date=5 April 2012 |access-date=19 March 2017 }}</ref> Accordingly it was for some time also known as the BAT Building. It is the tallest building in Woking and among the five tallest buildings in the county.<ref name="GetSurrey"/><ref name="GetWokingham">{{cite news |url=http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/s/2011587_highflying_residents_in_penthouse_roost |title=High-flying residents in penthouse roost |work=Get Wokingham |publisher=[[Trinity Mirror]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718215844/http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/s/2011587_highflying_residents_in_penthouse_roost |url-status=dead |date=7 June 2007 |archive-date=18 July 2011 |access-date=19 March 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://willforster.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/02/22/council-buys-shopping-centre/ |title=Council buys shopping centre |author=Will Forster |author-link=Will Forster |publisher=MyCouncillor.org.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902104439/http://willforster.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/02/22/council-buys-shopping-centre/ |url-status=live |date=22 February 2010 |archive-date=2 September 2011 |access-date=19 March 2017 }}</ref> Its height is {{convert|73|m|ft}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/surrey/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8386000/8386719.stm |title=In pictures: View from the top of the Hogs Back (slide 4) |work=[[BBC News Online]] |date=30 November 2009 |access-date=19 March 2017 |quote=In the foreground is the 73 metre (240 ft) Export House office block built in the centre of Woking. in 1973. It was the headquarters of British American Tobacco and is currently home to the Mouchel Group PLC. It is the town's tallest building. }}</ref> and has 18 storeys (15 floors above ground).

[[Telewest]] moved into Export House during summer 2001 after a £15&nbsp;million refurbishment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.woking.gov.uk/news/archive?item=0000406C021C.D464FE53.00006BE7.18DB |title=New Tenants for Local Landmark |publisher=Woking District Council |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308111105/http://www.woking.gov.uk/news/archive?item=0000406C021C.D464FE53.00006BE7.18DB |url-status=dead |date=28 January 2000 |archive-date=8 March 2012 |access-date=19 March 2017 }}</ref> Telewest had rented the top six floors for about a year before they moved permanently to Export House. Their previous base was in [[Sheerwater]] also by the [[South West Main Line]] in the borough.  Telewest vacated in 2006 after a merger and consolidation with [[NTL Incorporated|NTL]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/news/a30250/telewests-woking-headquarters-to-close.html |title=Telewest's Woking headquarters to close |author=James Welsh |work=[[Digital Spy]] |date=10 March 2006 }}</ref> From a deal of 2008 [[Mustang Engineering]] began to occupy for a few years and in the 2010s were succeeded by [[Mouchel|Mouchel Group]] who moved from West Hall in nearby [[West Byfleet]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/prices-and-markets/stocks/summary/company-summary.html?fourWayKey=GB0031696858GBGBXSSMM |title=MCHL Mouchel Group plc |publisher=[[London Stock Exchange]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927002535/http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/prices-and-markets/stocks/summary/company-summary.html?fourWayKey=GB0031696858GBGBXSSMM |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2011 |access-date=22 April 2015 }}</ref>

===Future===
The block has set a precedent for iconic, complimentary buildings being open to consideration under the existing Woking Borough Local Plan, adopted in 1999.<ref name="localpolicy">{{cite web |url=http://www.woking.gov.uk/planning/policy/localplan1999/towncentre |title=Local Plan 1999: Woking Town Centre |publisher=[[Woking Borough Council]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319221150/https://www.woking.gov.uk/planning/policy/localplan1999/towncentre |archive-date=19 March 2017 |access-date=22 April 2015 |postscript=. See particularly Chapter 12 of the plan.}}</ref>
Plans for a new shopping centre, named Victoria Square, located next to Export House, were unveiled in 2012 with planning permission approved in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/croydonisation-fears-rejected-250m-victoria-8054453 |title='Croydonisation' fears rejected as £250m Victoria Square plans approved for Woking |date=5 November 2014 |publisher=Surrey Live |access-date=5 August 2020 }}</ref> Victoria Square includes three new towers, two residential and one a hotel, at 34, 32 and 23 stories tall respectively. All three new towers would be taller than Export House, becoming the new tallest buildings in Surrey.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.woking.gov.uk/major-developments/victoria-square-development |title=Victoria Square development |date=5 December 2018 |publisher=Woking Borough Council |access-date=5 August 2020 }}</ref> Construction began in 2016, and is scheduled for completion by 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/woking-victoria-square-construction-work-13587062 |title=Woking Victoria Square: Construction work on £460m town centre development finally under way |date=7 September 2017 |publisher=Surrey Live |access-date=5 August 2020 }}</ref>

[[File:Guildford Road, Woking - geograph.org.uk - 601393.jpg|thumb|A semi-cross section view of Export House in 2007, taken from Guildford Road near [[Woking railway station]]]]

==Architecture==
Export House is of [[modular design]], [[chamfer]]ed on the narrow west [[façade]]/parapet and lightly [[groove (joinery)|storey-grooved]]. It avoided the tri-dimensional symmetry of some of its shorter-lived contemporaries.  Export House has no explicit or implicit reference to compulsory or encouraged complete demolition in the mid-term local plan.<ref name="localpolicy"/> From 2000 to 2007 the structure bore an air pollution-stained upper exterior so appeared more [[brutalist architecture|brutalist]] than old and new buildings of the town centre.  The 1950s to 1980s saw commercial office mid-cost construction sceptical of fancy [[classical architecture]] while remaining [[polite architecture|polite]], incorporating subtle asymmetry such as with stylised ends, roofs or windows in a maximal façade: as in London's [[Guy's Hospital]] and the [[Royal Festival Hall]].<ref>{{cite book |last=McKean |first=John |title=Architecture in Detail: Royal Festival Hall |year=2001 |publisher=Phaidon Press |location=New York |isbn=0-7148-4160-9 }}</ref>  In Surrey, comparable buildings are the [[Chubb Fire|Chubb Tower]] and within 500m of border of [[Ewell]], Surrey, the [[Tolworth]] Tower in Greater London.  Export House has a staircase and four lifts adjacent to the main entrance in the western facade. The building has radio and telecom masts appropriate for its height and deep parapet roof.

==Location==
The building is part-above Wolsey Place Shopping Centre, its entrance being next to one of the latter's main entrance.  Beneath the shopping centre is a private, gated car park underneath; opposite is a [[multi-storey car park]]. Occupying part of a commercial block of the entirely commercial-leisure town centre it is classed as on Cawsey Way.

Export House, New Central and Centrium in central Woking's skyline are clearly visible from the [[Hog's Back]], the narrow western ridge of the [[North Downs]] {{convert|7|mi}} south, the closest point of these downs is the west bank of the [[River Wey|Wey]], Guildford and Pewley Down which commands the east bank, including [[Guildford Castle]].<ref>[http://www.gridreferencefinder.com Grid reference Finder measurement tools]</ref>

===Public access===
The building has occasionally been open to the public on tours for [[Heritage Open Days]].<ref>[http://www.wherecanwego.com/search/ViewEvent.aspx?e=379773 Building tours info]</ref> Tours last for approximately 30&nbsp;minutes.

==Gallery==
The first two pictures were taken during December 2011.  A large Christmas tree configuration of lights formed part of Woking's [[Christmas]] celebrations.
<gallery>
File:Export House Xmas Tree1.jpg|Woking Export House Christmas tree with star from market
File:Export House Xmas Tree2.jpg|Woking Export House Christmas tree from train station
</gallery>

==Further reading==
* {{Cite book |author=Alan Crosby |title=A History of Woking |publisher=Phillimore |year=2003 |isbn=9780850334562 }}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Woking}}
{{British American Tobacco}}

{{coord|51|19|20.76|N|0|34|14.17|W|region:GB|display=title}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Surrey]]
[[Category:Woking]]
[[Category:British American Tobacco]]