Former Norwich Union House

This is an office headquarters building constructed between 1935 and 1936, designed by HS Goodhart-Rendel. Originally known as Norwich Union House, and now called Princes House, it occupies the western half of a block, extending down Princes Place and with an elevation facing the Pavilion Grounds to the north. The ground floor on North Street and the return frontage have been altered in the mid to late 20th century.

The building is five storeys high with a basement. Its main facade has a five-window range, with a broader corner range and an eleven-window return. The rear elevation features a six-window range. The structure is built on a steel frame, clad in handmade, sand-faced bricks arranged in both vertical and horizontal soldier courses. A distinctive star pattern is formed at the junctions of joists and studs, with the brick sheathing creating this design. The gaps between the bricks are filled with blue mosaic tiles. Brick spandrels above the windows are in a header bond. The top storey is brick in a Flemish bond pattern, incorporating blue brick diapering. The rear ground floor is faced with blue-green stone. The roof is parapeted, with lead flashing at the top of a tower. All windows are original steel casements. The design emphasizes an orthogonal grid, with bays appearing as cells of consistent dimensions. The corner range is composed of four windows, narrower than the others, and angled to turn the corner. These corner casement windows have a zig-zag profile, creating a pleated curtain effect. All windows have flat arches and sloping sills. The frame's structure is prominently displayed except for the top storey, which juts out one brick's thickness over the floors below. This upper level has a plain surface punctuated by shallow projecting bays containing broad windows alternating with narrower windows flush with the facade. The parapet is treated as bracketed eaves, interrupted at the corner by a short cylindrical tower with zig-zag walls mirroring the corner windows below. The rear elevation retains its original ground floor cladding – a green stone revetment that angles back to header bond brick walls. This elevation’s orthogonal grid is varied, with narrow corner and end bays. The first-floor window nearest the corner features a zig-zag plan, followed by three tripartite windows set within a green stone surround.

The interior of the building has not been inspected.

The building was originally associated with the Brighton and Sussex Permanent Benefit Building Society, which became the Alliance and later the Alliance and Leicester.