This building by Edwin Lutyens occupies a
corner site at the Moorgate end of Finsbury
Circus. It was built as the London
Headquarters of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company
which later became British Petroleum.
The Grade II Listed
building is of 7 storeys with entrances
on both Finsbury Circus and
Moorgate. It is described by
Historic England as, "...
Elaborate Portland stone facing in
free, classical style with much
carved decoration. Main openings to
ground storey round arched,
including 3 entrances in Finsbury
Circus: 2 storeys above treated
together and upper part with richly
modelled engaged Corinthian order.
Hipped, slated roof with secret
gutter and modest eaves-cornice. 2
piers with urns to entrance in
Finsbury Circus. Other entrances in
plainer, south elevation and in west
front which incorporates entrance to
Moorgate underground station."
It was known originally
as Britannic House and statues on the
facade reflect its name and original
occupants.
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In recent years the
centre of the building has been
drastically altered, removing a central
block of offices to create a glass roofed
atrium and providing new more flexible,
well-lit office space arranged around the
atrium.
The architects working
on the refurbishment were Gaunt &
Francis. They explain that their
brief was to accommodate, "...
multi-tenancy and a complete retrofit.
Our solution was a radical replanning
of the centre of the building to
introduce a new lift core and enhanced
atrium space with a spectacular new
atrium roof. .....
.... Six new
glass lift cars were included in a
shaftless lift lobby
arrangement. The historic
Lutyens interiors were carefully
restored and the new works carefully
integrated into them. All office space
was totally upgraded with new
mechanical and electrical systems
throughout."
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The original Lutyens
feartures can still be found in the
Finsbury Circus end of the building
including the grand marble staircase.
The black floor
covering looks from a distance to be a
rather matt black marble but is in fact
the lining salvaged from the tanks of an
oil tanker belonging to the original
occupants.
