SIS Building, Government building in Vauxhall, United Kingdom.
The SIS Building is a government structure in Vauxhall on the south bank of the Thames, standing out with its stepped silhouette of pale stone cladding and green glass panels. The multiple sections rise at different heights, forming a terraced composition along the riverfront.
The site held the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens until their demolition in the 1850s, after which a glass factory, a vinegar works and a gin distillery stood there. Excavations during construction found 17th-century glass kilns, barge houses and an inn called The Vine. Regalian Properties bought the site in 1983; Margaret Thatcher approved the SIS purchase in 1988, and the building, designed by Terry Farrell and built by John Laing, was completed in April 1994 and opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 14 July 1994.
The building has appeared in several James Bond films, including GoldenEye, The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day, Skyfall and Spectre. During the 2012 Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant the London Philharmonic Orchestra played the "James Bond Theme" as it passed Vauxhall Cross.
The structure stands on Albert Embankment and is visible from the riverside walkway, though not open to the public. Photographers find several vantage points along the Thames where the façade is well framed.
Two broad water moats encircle the grounds, forming an extra layer of protection between the street and the entrance area. The façade consumes roughly 12000 square meters (129000 square feet) of aluminum and glass, giving the structure its characteristic pale appearance.
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