Unilever House

Unilever House, a Grade II listed office building in London, is an impressive blend of Neoclassical and Art Deco styles. Located on New Bridge Street by Victoria Embankment and features a striking curved frontage overlooking Blackfriars Bridge. The site was once home to Bridewell Palace, a residence of Henry VIII, which later became a poorhouse and prison before making way for De Keyser’s Royal Hotel.

In 1920, Lord Leverhulme leased the land to build the headquarters for Lever Brothers, later Unilever. Construction began in 1929, with the design credited to James Lomax-Simpson, Unilever’s architect. The result is a grand structure with massive Ionic columns and rusticated ground floors designed to reduce traffic noise. Sculptures by Sir William Reid Dick and Gilbert Ledward adorn the entrances, while Eric Gill designed Art Deco pewter panels for the original lift cars.

Renovations in the 1980s added modern elements like parapet figures by Nicholas Monro. In contrast, a 2004 renovation by Kohn Pedersen Fox restored many original features and added a roof garden, blending history with contemporary workspaces.