Image credit: Tony Hisgett / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · 2010-10-25 ↗
The Original K2 Red Telephone Box Prototype
Piccadilly / Burlington House · Piccadilly → St James’s → Covent Garden · Design icon / street object / hidden prototype
Story
Standing on the western side of Burlington House's gateway is a telephone kiosk that, at first glance, might appear to be just another of London's iconic red telephone boxes. Yet, this one holds unique historical significance: it is the timber prototype with which Sir Giles Gilbert Scott won the 1924 competition launched by the General Post Office to design a new telephone kiosk. After the judging, the prototype was placed precisely here and, remarkably, remains in the very same spot to this day. Its design became the K2, the direct ancestor of the red telephone boxes that would eventually become one of Britain’s most recognisable visual symbols. Scott's initial proposal envisioned a steel kiosk, painted silver with a blue-green interior. However, the Post Office decided to manufacture it in cast iron and paint it the characteristic red. It is said that the domed form of the kiosk recalls the mausoleum Sir John Soane designed for his wife in St Pancras Gardens. Just a few metres from this prototype, on the eastern side of the same gateway, stands a cast-iron K2 from 1927. This offers a direct comparison between the original model and the product it inspired.
What to look for
First, inspect the western kiosk, which is the original painted TIMBER prototype. Then, look across the gateway and compare it with the cast-iron K2 from 1927, located on the eastern side.
Secret detail
The often-missed detail is not merely that there are two kiosks, but that the western one is the original timber prototype that won the 1924 competition and has stood in this exact spot ever since.
Where exactly
Beside the Burlington House gateway, on the western side (to your left if looking from Piccadilly into the Royal Academy courtyard).
Orientation
From Piccadilly, look north into the Burlington House gateway. The prototype is on your left.
Why it matters
This kiosk is the physical starting point for one of London's and Britain's most iconic symbols. It illustrates how a competition design materialised and became an integral part of the urban landscape and national identity.
Access & opening
Exterior/forecourt visibility; access can be affected by Royal Academy security or temporary events.
Free
We never show live status. Check opening hours before you go.
Accessibility
Level public forecourt approach in normal conditions; check temporary barriers.