HMV Showrooms, Oxford Street London W

The original 1921 site was rebuilt by Emberton in 1936, restored by him after a 1937 fire, and reopened in 1939.

His Master’s Voice shop in Oxford Street by Joseph Emberton is full of interesting ideas like all this architect’s work, but the great advertisement over the facia board, destroying not only the building but that part of Oxford Street (if it can be further destroyed), puts it out of court, to my mind, as far as the exterior is concerned. Inside and under the great facia are all kinds of interesting things inviting exploration.  (Professor C H Reilly) [Architects’ Journal 18 January 1940 page 100

The external wall to the main elevation is of reinforced concrete faced with black granite, long stretches of glass bricks interspaced with small metal windows being used to insulate the building from external noise. On the ground floor, the showcases are set back at a splayed angle from the main fagade, allowing easy circulation to the entrance. There is also an octagonal island showcase. At first floor level on the main elevation a large publicity sign, outlined in neon, is fixed to a curved fascia of lead coated sheet steel. The fascia, which forms a screen to the first floor television demonstration studios, is lit from below by concealed trough lighting. [Architects Journal 22 June 1939 page 1065-1066 Working Details