Michelin House

Michelin House was designed not merely as an office, but as a temple to the automobile. When it opened in 1911, the ground floor was a bustling tyre-fitting bay for motorists passing through London. You can still see the original mosaic on the floor near the entrance, where the company mascot, Bibendum, holds a goblet filled with nails and broken glass. This imagery was a bold marketing statement, suggesting that the tyres were so tough they could drink up the hazards of the road.