Bush House, London

Bush House
Location within Central London
General information
Location	Aldwych, City of Westminster, London
Country	United Kingdom
Coordinates	51°30′51″N 0°07′06″W / 51.51417°N 0.11833°W / 51.51417; -0.11833
Current tenants	King's College London
Construction started	1925
Completed	1935
Owner	Kato Kagaku
Design and construction
Architect	Harvey W. Corbett
Designations	Grade II listed building

Bush House is a Grade II listed building between Aldwych and the Strand in Central London at the southern end of Kingsway.

Now part of the Strand Campus of King's College London, Bush House previously served as the headquarters of BBC World Service. The broadcast from Bush House lasted for 70 years, from Winter 1941 to Summer 2012. The final BBC broadcast from Bush House was the 12pm BST English bulletin on 12 July 2012. The BBC World Service is now housed in Broadcasting House in Portland Place.King's College London has taken over the premises since acquiring the lease in 2015.

Sections of Bush House were completed and opened over a period of 10 years: Centre Block was opened in 1925, North-West Wing in 1928, North-East Wing in 1929, South-East Wing in 1930, and South-West Wing in 1935. The full building complex was completed in 1935.

The building was commissioned, designed and originally owned by American individuals and companies. Irving T. Bush gained approval for his plans for the building in 1919, which was planned as a major new trade centre and designed by American architect Harvey Wiley Corbett. The construction was undertaken by John Mowlem & Co. At least one stonemason, Frederick Horton (died 17 Sep 1920, age 50) is known to have died during the construction, but overall the building had a very good safety record.

The building's opening ceremony was performed by Lord Balfour, Lord President of the Council, on 4 July 1925. It included the unveiling of two statues at the entrance made by American artist Malvina Hoffman. The statues symbolise Anglo-American friendship and the building bears the inscription "To the friendship of English speaking peoples". Built from Portland stone, Bush House was in 1929 declared the "most expensive building in the world", having cost around £2,000,000 ($10,000,000).