Alterations to the facades facing the river removed the playful Scandinavian Modernism of the building's primary public face in favour of a plainer and hard-edged style. As an aside, the hall is prove to be one of the Architectural Ironmongery world's quiet headaches, given the post-war lack of steel when the building was being completed.The masters behind the original door furniture were architects Peter Moro and Leslie Martin.

Stainless steel was the result of joint discoveries among independently-working researchers in Britain and Germany in 1913. For example, knowing how the sea and its spray can chemically alter steel in various adverse ways, a certain type of stainless steel has a significantly improved general and pitting corrosion resistance.