The   design   and   position   of   this   building   (or   façade   in   this   case)   intentionally blocks   our   view   toward   the   rear   elevations   and   back   gardens   of   this   typical English   terrace.   However,   eagle-eyed   fans   will   note   the   building   has   no   side elevations   and   several   scenes   offer   direct   lines   of   sight   toward   the   residential dwellings beyond. Whilst   ‘Set   Buildings   #1’   to   ‘#4’   provided   the   location   for   in   excess   of   65   close- up   scenes,   only   a   hand   full   of   scenes   were   filmed   on   ‘Set   Building   #5’   -   one   of which   included   the   moment   where   Dennis   thanks   a   German   scaffolder   for ‘getting   his   mate   his   job   back’   after   Oz   was   fired   in   episode   2,   ‘Who   Won   the War Anyway’, (image 39a & position V).

The   location   directly   in   front   of   this   building   saw   Bomber   and   Neville   wade through    the    drainage    channel    in    search    of    the    vandals    moments    before capturing    escapee    Colin    following    his    fall    into    the    very    same    water    filled excavation in episode 8, 'The Fugitive’. Whilst   the   main   superstructure   of   this   3   storey   building   had   been   completed   by the   time   Dennis,   Neville   and   Oz   arrive   on   site   in   episode   1,   only   the   outer   skin of    red    brickwork    in    addition    to    a    partly    constructed    roof    gave    the    illusion construction had progressed throughout the series.

The    design    of    the    building    with    its    angular    45    degree    chamfer,    concrete columns   and   large   window   openings   mimics   buildings   (albeit   on   a   smaller scale)   of   a   similar   style   to   those   incidental   scenes   we   see   on   the   real   Hamburg construction   site   in   Germany.   These   details   again   convince   us   our   magnificent 7 are working in foreign lands! Let’s take a look at the ‘real’ construction site in Hamburg, Germany…

‘Set   Building   5’   forms   the   final   piece   of   our   three-dimensional   structural   jigsaw located   on   the   back   lot   at   Elstree   Studios.   But   this   building,   (image   38,   below) differs from the previous 4 buildings we’ve looked at for a number of reasons. This   3   storey   building   is   the   tallest,   widest   and   most   prominent   on   set   and forms   the   backdrop   to   countless   scenes   throughout   the   series   (images   39b,   c   & d).   It   is   positioned   very   close   to   the   south   eastern   boundary   against   the   rear gardens of Malden Road and as such has very little depth to its construction.