Sea Containers House

Sea Containers House on the River Thames, in 2018

Sea Containers House is a prominent building on the south bank of the River Thames in London.

Location[]

Sea Containers House is located towards the eastern end of London's South Bank cultural area, and is within the London Borough of Southwark. A continuous river-side walkway, actually part of the Thames Path, passes in front of and below the building, and links it with near river-side attractions such as the Festival Hall, the National Theatre, the Tate Modern, the Oxo Tower and the Globe Theatre.

History[]

Sea Containers House in 2011, prior to redevelopment

Sea Containers House was designed by noted American Modernist architect Warren Platner^[1] in 1974 as a luxury hotel.^[2] During construction, however, its location near the City of London led to the decision to complete it instead as office space. It opened in 1978 and took its name from the former long-term tenant, Sea Containers.

In Spring 2011, a process began to gain planning permission for an extensive internal and external refurbishment of Sea Containers House. The east and west wings, which face the Thames, remained offices,^[3] with companies within global communications group WPP moving in February 2016. The south wing was renovated as the Mondrian Hotel London,^[4] which opened on September 30, 2014,^[5] bringing at least part of the building back to its original intended use.^[6] The hotel became independent and was renamed Sea Containers London Hotel on January 15, 2019.^[7]