Wakley Street was once made up of workshops and warehouses. The National Childrens’ Bureau was built in the 1970s, sited behind these. In the mid 80s the Bureau bought the lease to number 8 and decided to convert the upper storeys to offices and build a new Ground Floor frontage, which would give them greater presence on the street.

This design provides an eye-catching entrance facade, made of elaborate reconstructed stone panels, forming a large scale bas-relief with bronze lettering and signs. From the main doorway a broad passage burrows through the ground floor to the reception area and then on to the old offices and conference rooms at the rear.

There is a separate street entrance to the two upper floors, which are reached by a new stair. These floors were designed as open offices, to be let to independent tenants. Background lighting is by uplighters shining off disks on the internal columns, with sockets for other services lower down.