Description

TQ 2980 SE CITY OF WESTMINSTER COCKSPUR STREET, SW1.
82/30
No. 1 (Oceanic House)

G.V. II

Headquarters office block. 1903-06 by H. Tanner junior. Portland stone on
steel frame, leaded roof. Interesting early Neo-Mannerist design with
Greek and Baroque motifes. 3 main storeys but with a large boldly modelled
"top hamper" of 3 storeys of attics. 5-window wide entrance front and
5-window splayed returns to Cockspur Street and Pall Mall East. Large
square headed central doorway and full length windows to ground floor,
architraved bronze casements to 1st and 2nd floors, where they are square,
dominated by 3-bay centrepiece of giant 3-storey engaged column portico
with Ionic capitals of modified Bassae-French neo-classical design; the
outer bays, with "French" apron panels vertically linking windows, flanked
by simplified Doric pilasters carrying entablature broken over portico
where it is surmounted by balustrade. The 3 storeys of attics are of more
complex design with 2 storey pedimented flanking aedicule pavilions
surmounted by set-back attic storey with cornice and blocking course; the
centre piece over portico is emphasised by a 2 storey full width rusticated
"Diocletiant" and the attic storey rising above it with quoin pilasters has 3
keystoned oculi with balustraded parapet with pedimented central "Doric"
panel crowning the whole. Return elevations similar but with pilaster
giant order throughout instead of columns to first 3 storeys; slight
mannerist variants to fenestration of outer bays and enclosed porches with
corniced doorways to far ends.

Survey of London; Vol. XX.

Listing NGR: TQ2987580429

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Oceanic House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q27080690

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)