SIS Building

The building standing before you serves as the headquarters for the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6. While its prominent riverside location might seem counterintuitive for a spy agency, the site was chosen for its strategic isolation and the ability to incorporate extensive security features. The design, completed in nineteen ninety four, is the work of architect Terry Farrell, who drew inspiration from the stepped, imposing silhouettes of ancient Mayan and Aztec temples. This distinct aesthetic, combined with its layers of green and cream glass, has earned the structure several colorful nicknames among locals, including Babylon on Thames and the Vauxhall Trollop.