MI6/SIS Building, headquarters building of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) in London. It was designed by architect Terry Farrell and completed in 1994.
Beloved of spy writers, the headquarters on the south bank of the River Thames in Vauxhall has become one of London’s most famous postmodern buildings. Its distinctive green-and-cream facade, an homage to Art Deco, makes it stand out even on the grayest of London days. As one would expect of the headquarters of British espionage, the building is equipped with state-of-the-art security systems, including walls and windows designed to withstand bullets and bombs, and a “Faraday cage,” which prevents electronic eavesdropping from hackers.
The SIS was created in 1909; the abbreviation MI6 (for “military intelligence, section six”) was adopted at the start of World War II. For decades the agency was a shadowy legend, hinted at but not officially recognized until long after the end of the Cold War. In the mid-1990s it was decided that MI6 should become more open, and the building on Vauxhall’s Albert Embankment was purchased as a public statement of this new attitude. The structure was designed by Farrell as an “urban village” concept, and it was adapted for MI6’s high-security standards after being purchased by the government. It is not one building but a group of three blocks interconnected by courtyards and atria, which are covered in panes of green-colored glass to coordinate with the decorated facade. Its stepped outline stretches up to a height of nine stories and extends downward deep beneath the London pavements to provide extra security. Two moats provide further protection.
Since it opened, the building has excited controversy, becoming loved and loathed in equal amounts. It has also received criticism because it stands out so blatantly; a rocket missile attack in 2000, believed to have been committed by the Real Irish Republican Army, seemed to prove such claims. Yet, despite the ferocity of the weapon used, the attack succeeded only in damaging an eighth-floor window. The building has also appeared in several James Bond films.