Nomura House, St Martin's-le-Grand EC1 (cont)

When Nomura House was redeveloped in 1988, the middle was scooped out entirely and rebuilt behind Sir Henry Tanner's Victorian facade. The architects were Fitzroy Robinson Partnership, a company with a rare sympathy for old buildings. The only change visible from the streets is the mansard roof that conceals an extra couple of floors.

On the western facade, Fitzroy Robinson let their hair down a little by adding a couple of unicorns holding  bundles of what seem to be palm leaves and some fat little cherubs playing in the drapery round an oeuil-de-boeuf. Difficult to see why, as they are so high up they cannot be seen from the pavement without a telescope.