Architecture as advertising
When you leave the lift on the eighth floor and find yourself in the reception area of a posh restaurant, the magic words are »viewing terrace«: if you make it clear that you have not come for an expensive meal, the staff will point the way to a small space high above the south bank of the Thames, where everyone may enjoy a wonderful view free of charge. Boats pass below, and straight ahead, the London skyline is spread out for landmark-spotting: Charing Cross Station and Waterloo Bridge on the left, the British Telecom tower in the background, Somerset House directly opposite, to the right Blackfriars Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral, all mirrored in the sloping glass wall behind you. Most of the terrace is reserved for restaurant tables, but at certain times of day you can simply drink a cup of coffee here without breaking the bank.
The whole building has gastronomic origins. The brand name OXO for beef stock-cubes was invented in 1900 by Liebig’s Extract of Meat Company, which was an official sponsor of the 1908 Olympic Games in London and gave the product to all competitors. During the First World War, OXO cubes were part of the emergency rations for all British soldiers. In 1928, the company built a cold store and production facilities on the Thames, to which meat was delivered directly from South America. The Art Deco building had a slender tower, but planning permission to attach neon advertising for OXO was refused. The architect’s solution was a vertical arrangement of three windows on each side of the tower: the top one O-shaped, the middle one an X, at the bottom another O, and they are all lit up at night.
Info
Address Barge House Street, SE1 9GY | Public Transport Southwark ( Jubilee Line) | Hours Mon–Thu 11am–11pm, Fri, Sat 11am–midnight, Sun noon–10.30pm| Tip For reasonably priced meals and galleries selling art and craftwork, go to Gabriel’s Wharf immediately west of the OXO Tower.
The OXO tower was renovated in the 1990s. The two lower storeys now accommodate design shops and galleries. Above these are apartments; at the top is the high-class restaurant. Just don’t ask the chef whether he uses OXO cubes.
Nearby
Back
To the online map