Equitable House

Equitable House is a building society headquarters built in 1935 by the architects Lionel U. Grace and W. G. Farmer, with construction by Thomas & Edge, Ltd. It is located in Woolwich and is a notable example of neo-classicism with Art Deco detailing. The building is of Portland stone construction with a Westmoreland slate tile roof.

The building is a rectangular three-storey structure with an attic, encompassing eleven bays and featuring a prominent central entrance and corner site entrances. The plan incorporates a main entrance leading to a central banking hall, with office wings on either side, which have been subsequently adapted with internal partitions or open-plan arrangements. The ground floor features panelled offices above the main entrance at the first floor and a panelled Board Room above the entrance at the second floor.

The facade is of Portland stone with a Westmoreland slate tile mansard roof. A projecting, Baroque Deco-style portal features at the centre, flanked by pairs of columns framing openings. Five bays of windows are present on each side. A rusticated plinth runs along the ground floor, with keystones above the ground floor windows. Double brass-panelled doors with "EQUITABLE HOUSE" in serif capitals lead to the main and side entrances. The first and second floors have plain stone surfaces with recessed metal-framed multi-pane windows. A Streamline Moderne decorative motif is visible on the facade, incorporating a human face above the main entrance and an owl face above the side entrance. A projecting cornice sits above the second floor, topped by a parapet. A secondary corner entrance features a broken segmental-arch pediment at ground floor level. A double-height window is positioned in the curved corner portal, incorporating a clock and parapet.

The interior of the entrance and banking hall is lined with Hopton Wood stone walls, with coursed and polished Derbyshire fossil skirting. A double-height entrance hall, featuring semi-circular windows at first floor level overlooking the exterior and offices above, is present. Niches are located on either side, each containing historical panels framed in Derbyshire fossil and deco-style brass vents. Steps lead up to a double-height banking hall, defined by square piers with blank walls and windows above. Dentil moulding and shallow classical detail are incorporated into the piers, walls and entablature. A tray ceiling incorporates a large glass panel adorned with brass Greek-key and deco ornament. First-floor offices are panelled in wood with Art Deco detailing. The second-floor Board Room features oak panelling carved with floral motifs on the top and around the doors. The building has three staircases, along with vaults and storage in the basement, accessible via a separate staff entrance.

The Woolwich Equitable Building Society, founded in 1847, occupied the building as their headquarters after relocating from Powis Street, also in Woolwich. Part of the building (the left-hand side) has been leased to National Westminster Bank and remains under separate tenancy. Equitable House is described as a handsome and monumental building, designed to inspire confidence while expressing modernity through its elegant Art Deco detailing.