Unilever House
Unilever House seen fromBlackfriars Bridge
Former names	Lever House
General information
Architectural style	NeoclassicalArt Deco
Location	Blackfriars London,EC4 United Kingdom
Address	100Victoria Embankment
Coordinates	51°30′42″N0°06′17″W / 51.511654°N 0.104671°W /51.511654; -0.104671
Current tenants	Unilever,Bristows,Royal Mail
Construction started	1929
Completed	1933; 92 years ago (1933)
Renovated	1977–83; 2004–07
Owner	Unilever
Technical details
Floor area	385,500ft²
Design and construction
Architect(s)	James Lomax-Simpson
Architecture firm	Sir John Burnet & Partners
Other designers	Thomas S. Tait Sculptures: William Reid Dick Gilbert Ledward Walter Gilbert Eric Gill
Renovating team
Renovating firm	Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
Other designers	Pringle Brandon

Unilever House is aGrade II listed office building in theNeoclassicalArt Deco style, located on New Bridge Street,Victoria Embankment inBlackfriars, London. The building has a tall, curving frontage which overlooksBlackfriars Bridge on the north bank of theRiver Thames.^[1]

The site of Unilever House was previously occupied byBridewell Palace, a residence ofHenry VIII, which later became apoorhouse and prison. These buildings were destroyed in 1864, making way forDe Keyser's Royal Hotel.^[2][3] In 1920,Lord Leverhulme leased the site to build the London headquarters of his soap manufacturing companyLever Brothers, which becameUnilever in 1930. Construction did not commence until 1929.

The design was a collaboration between James Lomax-Simpson, the Unilever company architect and a member of its board, andJohn James Burnet andThomas S. Tait, partners in the firm of Sir John Burnet and Partners. However, there has been much confusion over the relative contributions of these architects. A note by Simpson claimed exclusive credit, suggesting that Burnet and Tait merely approved the final design; but Burnet and Tait exhibited the design as a joint work with Simpson at theRoyal Academy; and drawings held atLondon Metropolitan Archives are signed by Burnet and Tait alone.^[4] Burnet was on the point of retiring owing to ill health; while Tait was a leading proponent ofmodern architecture, little of which is evident in the final design.^[5][6] The conclusion ofClive Aslet is that Lomax-Simpson was responsible for the overall concept (an early drawing by him dated October 1929 depicts the frontage very much as built); while Burnet and Tait were invited to become involved because of the prestige of their practice's name, but contributed only details.^[7]

The main contractor for the construction wasHolland, Hannen & Cubitts.^[8]

The most striking aspect of the building is its enormous curving frontage along the Victoria Embankment, with its giantIonic columns between the fourth and sixth floors. The heavilyrusticated ground floor is windowless to reduce traffic noise inside the building. The corners are marked by entrances surmounted by large plinths on which are placed sculptures of human figures restraining horses (calledControlled Energy^[9]) bySir William Reid Dick.Merman andmermaid figures are byGilbert Ledward. The originallift cars were lined with art deco pewter panels designed byEric Gill.

A refurbishment of 1977–83 saw the addition of parapet figures byNicholas Monro and a new north entrance lobby in a Neo Art Deco style, byTheo Crosby ofPentagram.^[10] The building has been extended along Tudor Street.^[4]

In 2004, the firmKohn Pedersen Fox Associates began renovation work in consultation withEnglish Heritage and theCity of London to make alterations to the interior work space. As part of the renovations, original fittings were retained or re-used, such as parquet flooring or Eric Gill's pewter lift car panels, but Crosby's distinctive and historically important additions were removed.^[11] A roof garden was created on top of the building.^[12]

• 
  The curved Neoclassic front
• 
  Unilever monogram
• 
  Decorative detailing
• 
  The front door
• 
  "Controlled Energy": man and horse bySir William Reid Dick
• 
  "Controlled Energy": woman and horse by SirWilliam Reid Dick
• 
  Unilever House and Blackfriars Bridge at night
• 
  Interior of Unilever House. The sculpture is "The Space Trumpet" byConrad Shawcross^[13]

• Aslet, Clive (1981). "Unilever House, Blackfriars".The Thirties Society Journal.1:18–21.

• Grade II listed buildings in the City of London
• Office buildings completed in 1933
• Unilever
• Art Deco architecture in London
• Grade II listed office buildings
• Office buildings in London
• Blackfriars, London
• Victoria Embankment
• 1933 establishments in England

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