Get started with Brilliant today! The first 30 days are free and the first 200 users to sign up with The B1M’s link will get 20% off their annual plan - brilliant.org/theb1m/
Jesus Fucking Christ, I lived on the 100 Westminter Bridge for a couple of years unaware that was the previous building for the MI6!!! My head just exploded
I feel like the Mi6 and Mi5 buildings being known and basically almost opposite each other along the Thames is a way of keeping other more secret buildings secret as it takes the attention away
There’s definitely other buildings. There’s other buildings which also have the same full body scanners at the entrance as this one… so they’re obviously related or just as important
I went to Chelsea College of Art directly across the river and there wasn't any wifi allowed in the building due to security concerns regarding MI6. This was the very early years when the university just moved into the new campus...might have changed since then.
One reason for the secrecy during construction is because that was when the building was most vulnerable. That was the best chance for foreign services to plant electronic devices, learn the layout, and potentially create exploitable weaknesses. These types of things have happened with embassies. Once completed there was no reason to keep the building secret. As SIS HQ it's massively important but not the only building they have.
It's also worth remembering that this is just their headquarters and they have other sites all over the country. A British friend worked at a small airport and SIS had an office just over the road. They once came in to give them a training course in spotting a new type of fake passport.
@@HumanBeingsRThinkingBeings I think Tiktok is considered far more dangerous because it's directly learning and stealing data from hundreds of millions, if not billions of people around the world in a seemingly normal manner. Tiktok is not just tracking your phone and app usages, but actually learning about habits and personalities, which is a unique information for spy software. Google, and other big tech companies do this too obviously, but they're not controlled by the government (especially not the Chinese government), and thus they're considered to be 'safer'.
A guy I knew was working in construction of the new massive sewer tunnel, driving piles into the ground right outside of the SIS building (all cleared with them)... but, after about 30 mins a load of guys with guns came out from inside the building and made them stop, sounded like it was interfering with equipment. After some high profile calls, they were able to start again - but a fun day for a construction guy!
I did the UXO survey on the foreshore in front of the building for the new sewer system. We were constantly being watched. When they put the plans in for the vertical shaft it was turned down and they were told where it was going. There's tunnels all over the place under there. Rumour has it the building on the opposite side of the river is connected to it, big building with no windows.
I’ve heard several times, that the real fun, is you don’t see many people entering or exiting the building on a daily basis. Compared to how many people should theoretically be working in such a large building. Speculating many secret and tunnel entrances from the surrounding area. 😮
Its probably almost empty inside with a few security guards ,a tea lady and a receptionist. The real Secret Service building is probably secret. 😅😅😂😂😃😄
One interesting thing about that building is the apartment blocks next to it. No one seems to see the joke, but look and you'll see it. The tower blocks are topped off with lenticular steel girders that make the shape of 'spy eyes'
Another interesting thing is the building behind the apartment building that faces it on the other side of the river. Have a look at it on street view and you'll probably see why.
@@nands111 do you mean the extended building with windows obscurred by blinds and lots of hvac on the roof like it could be a tunnel ventilation shaft? There must be lots of ways in and out of the main building, including directly onto the Victoria line
For those who cant spot it, its a tall tower, but it has a set of curved spirals running down the outside. From above it it have a very 'rifled gun barrel' aesthetic (ie like the bond intro and spiral style logos used by the franchise).
I lived next to this building up until last year and while it was honestly pretty bland and unimpressive from street level, I never remember seeing anyone go in or out of it. The building was just kind of sat there. No hundreds of people going in and out, as you'd expect for its size. Very ominous. Great info shared, I learned new things!
I remember visiting London and driving past this place on a bus, turned to my friend and said “wow, that looks like something out of James Bond” googled what it was and couldn’t believe it. Then the next James Bond film that came out it was even in the movie.
this is an infrastructure channel, not a england lover channel. England caused 3 wars in the USA, and captured the capital of the USA 2x. We speak the same language, but we are not friends
Someone had fun editing this video. Amazing content as always, my father was an architect, and watching you guys helped me more understand his field of work.
Good idea - the story of the new Chinese embassy is probably another one to follow. Will they get the site at the location of the old Royal Mint near the Tower of London. The project has just been paused and it looks like it will turn into a diplomatic struggle between China and the UK which desperately needs to upgrade the embassy in Beijing.
That would be so much harder to make. Every country needs to sign of on their embassies being featured, and featuring the UK embassies in foreign countries gives them a weaker position. But I love me some good building secrets.
Dont forget the Post Office tower was an official secret. A 177m tower in the heart of London, visible for miles around, with a revolving restaurant open to the public near the top, was a secret.
Nonsense. The tower itself was never a secret; what was a secret were the exact details of the non-commercial communications traffic which it handled in addition to all the regular telephone stuff.
I went for a job in my town a few years ago and was surprised to find out it was a building for MI6. I was in construction at the time and honestly didn’t believe my coworkers when they said who the job was for but as we progressed through the build, I started to believe. We built “bomb proof” walls around all the servers and then full body scanners at all entrances. Near the end of the job, we’d have sweeps of the building, most likely checking for bugs and other devices.
@@user-ed7et3pb4o No which I thought was weird, this is also the reason I didn’t believe it was the Secret Services at first. If I did sign one, I’d most likely be getting a knock at my door very soon. The only things we couldn’t do were, taking pictures or keep plans of the building for to long. The building is above the registry offices in Manchester, UK. You’d never know it was there but it certainly is. It covers 3 floors of that building.
Their location is known now via the movie industry and news outlets, I don't think it's a secret anymore. They are more known now than Victoria's Secret. As always with Fred, great presentation and production. Well, that's not a secret.
@@TheB1Mwell if it is a decoy they employ hundreds of people to walk all over that neighborhood with fake id badges in full view. Just ask people that live there if you don't wanna take my word for it
I once tried to take photos of Vauxhall Cross from near where Fred was standing and someone called the police on me. Within 2 minutes a red police car with armed police officers showed up. When I told them I was just interested in architecture and showed them the photos we had a nice chat and they left me to get on with it. haha.
I use to live in London and from time to time I would walk past it. I was always fascinated by the imposing presence of this building. I use to imagine that is the perfect hiding spot in a zombie apocalypse.
Uhhhh you do know they filmed this building for the movie right? It's literally the same building. The books author was literally an intelligence officer himself lol😂
Love the intro! Seems you guys had a lot of fun making this vid. Def interesting and would love more content like this on iconic buildings that already exist. Keep up the great work, one of my fav YT channels
I watched the build both from the road and from next door (Camelford House) where I worked at the time. It would seem, from what I've read, that after the building was completed to the original designs and specs, the government approved contractors moved in and changed the interior layouts, added 'new stuff' such as blast walls and curtains and replaced all the windows with panels that looked about 30cm thick - heaviest looking windows I've ever seen!
Just before I left the RAF I applied for a photographic job with the SIS. Intriguingly the job description stated that applicants ‘must not have a fear of heights or enclosed spaces’!?! Interviews were to be held at a central London hotel. Sadly I failed the pre-interview aptitude test, which I remember clearly, being asked questions about a false identity that applicants had to remember details of. (I didn’t!)
Any other person of colour or white Europe couldn't have done this documentary without an investigation from the people from this building on the individuals or the organisation behind the production. Thank you for being able to make this video on the most secure building in UK.
Very entertaining intro 😋. That a lot had gone into physical exterior protection only became apparent in September 2000 after the IRA fired an RPG-22 anti-tank rocket at the building. Despite being hit 8 floors up, the building shrugged it off with nothing more than a bit of soot on its facade..
MI5 also got a refurbished building on the opposite side of the Thames on Milbank in 1994 and the joke used to be that they were opposite each other (although not directly opposite) so they could keep an eye on the real enemy !!!
In John le Carre's books people from "The Circus" (his fictional equivalent of SIS) referred to MI5 as The Opposition. Possibly something he picked up when he was in the real SIS.
If you watch the BBC TV series "Spooks", the two agencies sometimes follow each other, spy on each other, try to get the better of each other. I found those the least interesting episodes - couldn't help thinking What a waste of taxpayers' money!
Again another great video! And I'm happy to see that you're promoting the Mental Health support systems for the construction industry. Similar to what I've seen for Agriculture as well. Typically these are professions that are assumed to be immune to such struggles. Everyone is impacted at times one way or another. Thank you.
I walked in there once by accident either the M I6 or MI5 building. I was just looking for a restroom. I did not get as you would imagine a very friendly welcome, and was told to look elsewhere for a toilet. 😂
I'm just glad you mostly got the name of the service correct. I wish more people would understand that MI6 is not it's name and just a pop culture nickname.
It's not just a nickname. During the Second World War the SIS was often referred to as Military Intelligence, Section 6. One of nine intelligence sections at the time, each with their own specialisations.
I remember seeing this building from across the river about a year or two after watching Skyfall and thinking "Wait, didn't this building blow up?". It was so weird. Great video! 😃
Absolutely the best episode so far! The MI6 building looks magnificent in its Thames location and the repairs that were carried out after they bombed M’s office are hardly noticeable! Proud 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
I know a senior person at the Dept of the Environment, Food, Rural Affairs (DEFRA) who was driving through Reading one day when he saw a DEFRA building he had never heard of before. He was curious because he thought he knew all their operating locations and decided to check it out. He parked up and went into the building showing his (very senior) pass. He wandered around the building trying to figure out what was going on. After a few minutes he was surrounded by security guards who escorted him out. Turns out it was an MI5/6 building pretending to be a DEFRA building. He didn't find out exactly which agency owned it.
This is an interesting change. I suspect it is also because they realized the keeping the HQ secret doesn't really help. In IT, security by obfuscation is considered a poor strategy, and I feel this is even more the case for physical objects. After all, the people who you really don't want to know about the service probably do anyway, and it becomes hard to hide the security if you want to beef up security.
Thats absolutely right. Keeping a building of that magnitude a secret wont work for longer than a few months, so it's best to purpose build the entire thing and make that thing as secure as possible, instead of taking a less obvious and less secure building
It's so funny to me to hear it described as a fortress! I grew up quite literally around the corner from MI6 headquarters and saw it everyday on the way to school. To me, it's always been that grungy building with weird coloured windows next to Vauxhall station!
this has missed out a huge chunk of key history - mi6 was first brought into existence in a building overlooking horse guards parade where Ian Fleming worked. It was part of Naval intelligence, and it continued (or continues?) to have a base there, as admiralty arch was a place where MI6 people could go until recently when Cameron sold it off to for development into a hotel. How can you miss out this key part of history and location?!!!
I’ve loved this channel for ages now but this is by far and away the best video you’ve put out so far! My dad always points out this building as he helped build it, love this!!
Fun fact, Balfour Beatty decided one day they couldn’t be arsed with the maintenance and refurb work anymore so they printed a full set of floor plans and had a labourer “lose” them on the way home so they would have their contract terminated for gross negligence and the compromise of secure information. Clever work from the countries biggest contractor.
Well this was a VERY fun one episode. They’re may not be enough to go on for information about the building and MI6, sans imagination, BUT the presentation is a solid 10’s across the board. The Intro Alone deserves a separate video 🎉🎉🎉 Cheers from the States!
There certainly is something sinister about the look of this building, you could almost imagine it opening out (transformer like) revealing some alien craft.
What's more sinister is you will never see anyone enter or exit the building leading most to believe that there is more of it underground and that the entrances are linked to the Tube.
I decided to do a report on this building for college years ago. Quickly realized that I could find any info on how it was built, but I didn't want to bother looking up another building. So I just made up everything and figured my lecturers wouldn't be able to find anything either. Seems like I got some of it right
A friend of mine was being vetted for the fit out of a new office in North Sydney (AU) a few years ago and he couldn't understand why he had to go through so many background checks. I asked him if this was for the new US Consulate as they were moving to that part of town the following year and a few weeks later he revealed that indeed it was for the new consulate. He wouldn't tell me any of the details which I tried so hard to learn from him. I wonder if they didn't bother vetting the workers for MI6 since no one knew at the time it was for their new HQ. Amazing architecture.
I was an archaeologist for the Department of greater London archaeology (DGLA) of the museum of London in the 1980s & 1990s . We did the archeology for this site - we knew it as "Vauxhall bridgefoot" and even then we knew it was going to be something to the secret service as we were required to sign the official secrets act when we worked on the site. As it was, we found not much although there was some evidence of ceramics manufacture and of the 17th century Vauxhall Gardens. As an aside, i later worked in education and did some development work on post-16 qualifications for QCA. We were based in a building opposite green park which was, I believe, the former MI5 HQ, complete with bombproof circular room with blast doors inside.
B1M in constant improvement, this video is great fun to watch (which is nothing new from B1M) but mostly very informative. To see, MI6 is quite a complex building. Well done guys as always!
what did you learn about the MI6 headquarters? Nothing? Me too. This video was garbage, and he used all the bond crap to get your attention and distract from the fact that there was no information on the building..... despite the fact that he was doing a video on the building
Fascinating. By the sound of it, the attacks in Skyfall etc wouldn't have been as effective in reality as in the film from its sheer architectural strength. I'd assume that in a hypothetical world where humans disappeared Vauxhall Cross would still be standing long after other buildings like St Pauls and Westminster Abbey had crumbled to dust.
I lived in NYC in the 1980s and worked near the World Trade Center. The CIA's official (publicly agkwowledged) office was located in one of those towers. After the 9/11 attacks I read that the building next door to where I worked (and across the street from the WTC) was the location of the CIA's secret office where they coordinated spying on foreigners working at places like the United Nations headquarters and on Wall Street. At another point I worked in the International Building at Rockefeller Center (the one with the big statue of Atlas with the Earth on his shoulders and directly across Fifth Avenue from St. Patrick's Cathedral). Reading a book on US/ British intelligence/ espionage cooperation in the run up to the US's entry into WW Two I learned that was the location of the UK's secret (and illegal at the time) spy headquarters in America. I wish I had known these things at the time I was there rather than learning them decades later.
What an intro! I thought it would be way shorter than that at first, hopefully you had as much fun making it as we had watching it! 😂 As usual, awesome video!
B1M continues to outdo itself every time. This intro (and the graphics all together) is peak production here, and I love it. Side note: if SIS/MI6 were taller, would it be known as a spyscraper?
I used to walk pass the building on the Thames path. I never felt comfortable walking, looking or doing anything, whilst walking past. I did however think that the large fountains that continuously emit white noise from the splashing water were a nice touch. :)
Get started with Brilliant today! The first 30 days are free and the first 200 users to sign up with The B1M’s link will get 20% off their annual plan - brilliant.org/theb1m/
XD I can see you guys had fun with this one! 😀
LOL you guys went Super Saiyan for that intro
Lets see one on MoD Abbey Wood next please! A genuinely interesting architectural modern day fortress.
Jesus Fucking Christ, I lived on the 100 Westminter Bridge for a couple of years unaware that was the previous building for the MI6!!! My head just exploded
Paying for youtube premium, still getting ads
I feel like the Mi6 and Mi5 buildings being known and basically almost opposite each other along the Thames is a way of keeping other more secret buildings secret as it takes the attention away
When the MI5 building was the Department of Energy I occasionally used to eat in the basement canteen. It had a bar there too!
@@stevebarlow3154where people would listen for intel, I bet
There’s definitely other buildings. There’s other buildings which also have the same full body scanners at the entrance as this one… so they’re obviously related or just as important
Maybe this isn't actually really the sis headquarters but they actually use somewhere else and this was a ruse all along
The greatest spy agencies ever bar none 💯
I like it how the secret service HQ is one of the most standing out and easily recognisable buildings.
Where is their HQ? I thought it was Thames House but seemingly they left there in 1939 😐
A bit of an easy target
@@krashd Thames House is still in use by the Security Service (MI5)
It's a very strange looking building. Post-modern? My favorite "secret" building is 33 Thomas Street which looks appropriately menacing.
'Hide in plain sight you mug'
This is far and away the best intro to any video you've ever done. Excellent work and funny too 😄
Hahaha, we spent WAY too much time on that 😂
@@TheB1M Yes you did and it and the ad took up almost half the vid lol
An appropriate amount of time 😂@@TheB1M
@@TheB1MWouldn’t have it any other way 😂
@@ronnymcdonald2543get revanced it cuts out all the filler ads in middle of vids
As someone who has never been a spy, worked for MI6 or even been in the building I can confirm it's very secure.
How did you confirm this did you try to punch a window and failed and broke your wrist or something
A spy would say that
I imagine you giving the front door a little kick like you would kick a car's tyres then saying "sound as a pound".
it was attacked by the IRA IN 2000 with A Russian-built RPG-22 anti-tank rocket. it basically bounced off the building. CONFIRMED @@zahidshabir4038
Can confirm, I'm not a spy and they wouldn't let me in, very secure building.
I went to Chelsea College of Art directly across the river and there wasn't any wifi allowed in the building due to security concerns regarding MI6. This was the very early years when the university just moved into the new campus...might have changed since then.
MAQAROON!!
@@ellie._.25 Hi!! 😂
:0 I can see that becoming a problem fast how did you overcome it?
i went to chelsea recently and i can confirm there is wifi there now lol
Eduroam now most likely?
I just know you guys had way too much fun with that title sequence
Didnt expect to see you here
Snappy intro! Bond would be proud.
HELLO
hello mogswamp *:D*
W intro
Smashing production seriously this channel has grown to be one of my favourite infrastructure and civil engineering channels
curios how many dudes are working on this project. is it 15 or hundreds?
It's one of my favorite channels, period. And I'm not even that into infrastructure, construction, or engineering, lol.
@@Dionysos640 Practical Engineering.
Captivating Intro. Well done.
He’s been doing this for years.
One reason for the secrecy during construction is because that was when the building was most vulnerable. That was the best chance for foreign services to plant electronic devices, learn the layout, and potentially create exploitable weaknesses. These types of things have happened with embassies.
Once completed there was no reason to keep the building secret. As SIS HQ it's massively important but not the only building they have.
that makes absolute sense
Any foreign intelligence agency would have known this already and bugged the place anyway.
And it continues to be all about the quality of the people governed, the quality of the elites alone doesn't make much.
Exactly, if a foreign government didn't think it was particularly important they wouldn't waste the effort trying to get inside.
@@KeithChegwin24ok the spy expert
It's also worth remembering that this is just their headquarters and they have other sites all over the country. A British friend worked at a small airport and SIS had an office just over the road. They once came in to give them a training course in spotting a new type of fake passport.
Mind Begs the Question:
Chinese Spying,TikTok - not Ok
Israeli Spying,Pegasus - Ok?
@@HumanBeingsRThinkingBeings I think Tiktok is considered far more dangerous because it's directly learning and stealing data from hundreds of millions, if not billions of people around the world in a seemingly normal manner. Tiktok is not just tracking your phone and app usages, but actually learning about habits and personalities, which is a unique information for spy software. Google, and other big tech companies do this too obviously, but they're not controlled by the government (especially not the Chinese government), and thus they're considered to be 'safer'.
Where is Scotland Yard? 🇬🇧
@@DavidLLambertmobile I think it's in the west of London
spot fake passport? i would think thats border forces job lol
A guy I knew was working in construction of the new massive sewer tunnel, driving piles into the ground right outside of the SIS building (all cleared with them)... but, after about 30 mins a load of guys with guns came out from inside the building and made them stop, sounded like it was interfering with equipment. After some high profile calls, they were able to start again - but a fun day for a construction guy!
bullshit
I did the UXO survey on the foreshore in front of the building for the new sewer system. We were constantly being watched. When they put the plans in for the vertical shaft it was turned down and they were told where it was going. There's tunnels all over the place under there. Rumour has it the building on the opposite side of the river is connected to it, big building with no windows.
I’ve heard several times, that the real fun, is you don’t see many people entering or exiting the building on a daily basis. Compared to how many people should theoretically be working in such a large building. Speculating many secret and tunnel entrances from the surrounding area. 😮
Almost definitely! There are a lot of secret tunnels knocking around in this country
101%
Its probably almost empty inside with a few security guards ,a tea lady and a receptionist. The real Secret Service building is probably secret. 😅😅😂😂😃😄
Tube stations I reckon. Through staff only doors 😂
Most staff would be shift workers and would enter and leave at various times during the night and day including weekends and holidays.
One interesting thing about that building is the apartment blocks next to it. No one seems to see the joke, but look and you'll see it. The tower blocks are topped off with lenticular steel girders that make the shape of 'spy eyes'
Another interesting thing is the building behind the apartment building that faces it on the other side of the river. Have a look at it on street view and you'll probably see why.
@@nands111 I'm looking, and I don't.
Wha?
@@nands111 do you mean the extended building with windows obscurred by blinds and lots of hvac on the roof like it could be a tunnel ventilation shaft? There must be lots of ways in and out of the main building, including directly onto the Victoria line
For those who cant spot it, its a tall tower, but it has a set of curved spirals running down the outside.
From above it it have a very 'rifled gun barrel' aesthetic (ie like the bond intro and spiral style logos used by the franchise).
I lived next to this building up until last year and while it was honestly pretty bland and unimpressive from street level, I never remember seeing anyone go in or out of it. The building was just kind of sat there. No hundreds of people going in and out, as you'd expect for its size. Very ominous. Great info shared, I learned new things!
Just how they want it.
Probably entrances to it from different tube stations through normal looking staff only doors 🤣
Secret entrances, probably by doors in train or tube stations
Tube stations probably have secret doors for entry.
lol bland its the only building on Southside that's different its very art deco.
I remember visiting London and driving past this place on a bus, turned to my friend and said “wow, that looks like something out of James Bond” googled what it was and couldn’t believe it. Then the next James Bond film that came out it was even in the movie.
this is hella interesting 🤯
Hey youtube
bro only got 4 likes 💀💀
want to keep anything secret , youtube?
23 likes 😂
Lol
Fred and the team: BRILLIANT! JUST BRILLIANT!!! What a great video! Well done all of you, this is your best publication yet!
this is an infrastructure channel, not a england lover channel. England caused 3 wars in the USA, and captured the capital of the USA 2x. We speak the same language, but we are not friends
@@davidanalyst671not sure how this is related to the original comment
@@davidanalyst671 Actually, the USA and England are very good friends
@@davidanalyst671 Wow, that's a massive chip on your shoulder!
Someone had fun editing this video. Amazing content as always, my father was an architect, and watching you guys helped me more understand his field of work.
need skills, brilliant !!!
this channel ??????
he need a REAL job, but is not any artistic !
Speaking of modern fortresses in London: you should make a video about the U.S. embassy there.
Or embassies in general. Would be an interesting topic!
Good idea - the story of the new Chinese embassy is probably another one to follow. Will they get the site at the location of the old Royal Mint near the Tower of London. The project has just been paused and it looks like it will turn into a diplomatic struggle between China and the UK which desperately needs to upgrade the embassy in Beijing.
Yeah, it reminded me of the video on youtube called "Counter-Terrorism: London's Ring Of Steel" Pretty interesting stuff.
@@mikerichards6065is that the one that’ll have the basement that’s effectively a maze?
That would be so much harder to make. Every country needs to sign of on their embassies being featured, and featuring the UK embassies in foreign countries gives them a weaker position. But I love me some good building secrets.
@@Cantblendthis Did you mean US?
What if... this is not the *actual* headquarters?
It is so nice to be able to visit James Bond headquarters and know that it is actually the MI6 headquarters in real life
I was unaware of the SIS name until the early 2010s. I thought the UK 🇬🇧 used the MI labels.
Dont forget the Post Office tower was an official secret. A 177m tower in the heart of London, visible for miles around, with a revolving restaurant open to the public near the top, was a secret.
There's a Secret Nuclear Bunker near London. I know this because of the brown tourist road signs that say "SECRET NUCLEAR BUNKER" on them.
Nonsense. The tower itself was never a secret; what was a secret were the exact details of the non-commercial communications traffic which it handled in addition to all the regular telephone stuff.
I went for a job in my town a few years ago and was surprised to find out it was a building for MI6. I was in construction at the time and honestly didn’t believe my coworkers when they said who the job was for but as we progressed through the build, I started to believe.
We built “bomb proof” walls around all the servers and then full body scanners at all entrances. Near the end of the job, we’d have sweeps of the building, most likely checking for bugs and other devices.
Did you not have to sign an NDA?
@@user-ed7et3pb4o Well, if they don't reply, that'll be an answer of sorts...
@@user-ed7et3pb4o No which I thought was weird, this is also the reason I didn’t believe it was the Secret Services at first. If I did sign one, I’d most likely be getting a knock at my door very soon. The only things we couldn’t do were, taking pictures or keep plans of the building for to long.
The building is above the registry offices in Manchester, UK. You’d never know it was there but it certainly is. It covers 3 floors of that building.
Please spill more beans here. Floor plan design, security devices etc. The Kremlin wants to know. 🎤
@brandonpinto5290
Anything he said, the Kremlin already knows.
Their location is known now via the movie industry and news outlets, I don't think it's a secret anymore. They are more known now than Victoria's Secret.
As always with Fred, great presentation and production. Well, that's not a secret.
Haha thanks! This is a decoy we think...
PLOT TWIST: THIS IS NOT THE SIS BUILDING... ITS A DECOY
Elizabeth's Secret!
@@notreallydaviddead
@@TheB1Mwell if it is a decoy they employ hundreds of people to walk all over that neighborhood with fake id badges in full view. Just ask people that live there if you don't wanna take my word for it
1:10 I was surprised by 4 people suddenly popping up rather than the guy suddenly disappearing
I once tried to take photos of Vauxhall Cross from near where Fred was standing and someone called the police on me. Within 2 minutes a red police car with armed police officers showed up. When I told them I was just interested in architecture and showed them the photos we had a nice chat and they left me to get on with it. haha.
I use to live in London and from time to time I would walk past it. I was always fascinated by the imposing presence of this building. I use to imagine that is the perfect hiding spot in a zombie apocalypse.
James Bond and Shaun of the Dead crossover? That gets my vote!
Can't believe they made the build from Skyfall into Real life
Haha, inspired by the movie...
😂😂😂😂😂
Uhhhh you do know they filmed this building for the movie right? It's literally the same building. The books author was literally an intelligence officer himself lol😂
@@joshschneider9766hes not being serious bro..
@@joshschneider9766 NO WAY?! I would've never guessed...
Absolutely the very best intro to any B1M video ever! Thanks for sharing the history Fred. Love the back story.
That intro sequence had me shaken, not stirred.
The production and opening credits on this one were epic! Especially clever and high quality. Great work as always!
You have no subscribers and a tick next to your name? What am I missing here 😅
You guys really went all in for this one! Hats off to you lads!
Hey man, just a quick compliment. Your awesome at narrating. Precise, clear and subjects that are interesting. Nice one!
You’re*
Incredible editing, commentary and overall journalism! Thank you B1M
there was no journalism found. I literally know nothing more than a wikipedia page could have told me in 30 seconds
Love the intro! Seems you guys had a lot of fun making this vid.
Def interesting and would love more content like this on iconic buildings that already exist.
Keep up the great work, one of my fav YT channels
I watched the build both from the road and from next door (Camelford House) where I worked at the time. It would seem, from what I've read, that after the building was completed to the original designs and specs, the government approved contractors moved in and changed the interior layouts, added 'new stuff' such as blast walls and curtains and replaced all the windows with panels that looked about 30cm thick - heaviest looking windows I've ever seen!
Yes but if you sit at the right place in a building close by you can see all the people walking in and out of that building.😂
This quenches my top secret construction curiosities like nothing else.
B1M really went out with their editing on this one, Fred keeping up the amazing work
Just before I left the RAF I applied for a photographic job with the SIS. Intriguingly the job description stated that applicants ‘must not have a fear of heights or enclosed spaces’!?! Interviews were to be held at a central London hotel.
Sadly I failed the pre-interview aptitude test, which I remember clearly, being asked questions about a false identity that applicants had to remember details of. (I didn’t!)
Any other person of colour or white Europe couldn't have done this documentary without an investigation from the people from this building on the individuals or the organisation behind the production. Thank you for being able to make this video on the most secure building in UK.
I don't think the Brits know what "secret" means...
I mean, for all you know, it still could be.
Neither do the Americans
Really? What twaddle
Very entertaining intro 😋. That a lot had gone into physical exterior protection only became apparent in September 2000 after the IRA fired an RPG-22 anti-tank rocket at the building. Despite being hit 8 floors up, the building shrugged it off with nothing more than a bit of soot on its facade..
MI5 also got a refurbished building on the opposite side of the Thames on Milbank in 1994 and the joke used to be that they were opposite each other (although not directly opposite) so they could keep an eye on the real enemy !!!
In John le Carre's books people from "The Circus" (his fictional equivalent of SIS) referred to MI5 as The Opposition. Possibly something he picked up when he was in the real SIS.
If you watch the BBC TV series "Spooks", the two agencies sometimes follow each other, spy on each other, try to get the better of each other. I found those the least interesting episodes - couldn't help thinking What a waste of taxpayers' money!
Again another great video! And I'm happy to see that you're promoting the Mental Health support systems for the construction industry. Similar to what I've seen for Agriculture as well. Typically these are professions that are assumed to be immune to such struggles. Everyone is impacted at times one way or another. Thank you.
I walked in there once by accident either the M I6 or MI5 building. I was just looking for a restroom. I did not get as you would imagine a very friendly welcome, and was told to look elsewhere for a toilet. 😂
I'm just glad you mostly got the name of the service correct. I wish more people would understand that MI6 is not it's name and just a pop culture nickname.
It's not just a nickname. During the Second World War the SIS was often referred to as Military Intelligence, Section 6. One of nine intelligence sections at the time, each with their own specialisations.
I remember seeing this building from across the river about a year or two after watching Skyfall and thinking "Wait, didn't this building blow up?". It was so weird. Great video! 😃
😂😂😂
You must struggle in telling fiction from reality
@indigohammer5732 😂😅. Go easy on him, might be slow.
Absolutely the best episode so far! The MI6 building looks magnificent in its Thames location and the repairs that were carried out after they bombed M’s office are hardly noticeable! Proud 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Looks like an ugly building that adheres to the brutalist architecture.
@@Electrodexify it’s actually the front for a secret men’s outfitters.
@@philtucker1224 and MI6 is actually just a cunning business plan to sell suits
It’s looks like a cash register.
The title card to this video was incredible. Whatever time it took for that... It was well spent.
I know a senior person at the Dept of the Environment, Food, Rural Affairs (DEFRA) who was driving through Reading one day when he saw a DEFRA building he had never heard of before. He was curious because he thought he knew all their operating locations and decided to check it out. He parked up and went into the building showing his (very senior) pass. He wandered around the building trying to figure out what was going on. After a few minutes he was surrounded by security guards who escorted him out. Turns out it was an MI5/6 building pretending to be a DEFRA building. He didn't find out exactly which agency owned it.
wow lol
Fantastic production as always, bonus points for the narration and intro!
That entrance video was absolutely awesome !! As a bond fan I can just tell there was a lot of hard work that went into the production
I just have a casual interest in construction, but man these vids are so well produced it really brings it to life. Awesome work!
This is an interesting change. I suspect it is also because they realized the keeping the HQ secret doesn't really help. In IT, security by obfuscation is considered a poor strategy, and I feel this is even more the case for physical objects.
After all, the people who you really don't want to know about the service probably do anyway, and it becomes hard to hide the security if you want to beef up security.
Thats absolutely right. Keeping a building of that magnitude a secret wont work for longer than a few months, so it's best to purpose build the entire thing and make that thing as secure as possible, instead of taking a less obvious and less secure building
I watch every single B1M video that pops up on my feed and this is the first one for 3 months.
I’ve not gotten past the intro sequence yet and what an intro, Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman would be proud.
Brilliant production! So great to see this channel grow strength to strength with each video! Keep it up team!
I love the intro! I can imagine it took countless hours to edit and the result is really impressive!
It's so funny to me to hear it described as a fortress! I grew up quite literally around the corner from MI6 headquarters and saw it everyday on the way to school. To me, it's always been that grungy building with weird coloured windows next to Vauxhall station!
This is hands down the best TH-cam intro I've ever seen
this has missed out a huge chunk of key history - mi6 was first brought into existence in a building overlooking horse guards parade where Ian Fleming worked. It was part of Naval intelligence, and it continued (or continues?) to have a base there, as admiralty arch was a place where MI6 people could go until recently when Cameron sold it off to for development into a hotel. How can you miss out this key part of history and location?!!!
It's actually an Airbnb rental owned by someone who exploits it's history for cash now ;) now ask me when I stayed in it hehe
James Bond is famous not Ian Fleming 😢
Another blemish on Cameron's record then ???
I’ve loved this channel for ages now but this is by far and away the best video you’ve put out so far! My dad always points out this building as he helped build it, love this!!
Another great episode Fred! ❤ the opening! Keep up the fantastic work you and your team are doing!!!
Fun fact, Balfour Beatty decided one day they couldn’t be arsed with the maintenance and refurb work anymore so they printed a full set of floor plans and had a labourer “lose” them on the way home so they would have their contract terminated for gross negligence and the compromise of secure information. Clever work from the countries biggest contractor.
Balfour Beatty like Warren Beatty has always been notorious for screewing cheap tarts....that deserved it.
Spoilers. It's top secret.
This guy hooks you for 6 minutes before revealing he doesn't know anything
Well done Fred and team, brilliant intro and, as always, extremely well grafted content.
One of the best video's you've done in a while, makes me want to watch the bond franchise again haha.
The one video where Fred can be: Mills. Fred Mills.
NAH MAN, THE B1M IS TAKING THINGS TO ANOTHER LEVEL. That intro was great hahahaha
So nice to see a video being 100% historically accurate I learned so much from this
Well this was a VERY fun one episode. They’re may not be enough to go on for information about the building and MI6, sans imagination, BUT the presentation is a solid 10’s across the board. The Intro Alone deserves a separate video 🎉🎉🎉 Cheers from the States!
There certainly is something sinister about the look of this building, you could almost imagine it opening out (transformer like) revealing some alien craft.
What's more sinister is you will never see anyone enter or exit the building leading most to believe that there is more of it underground and that the entrances are linked to the Tube.
I love the Title sequence intro. It shows once again how much work and effort you put into your videos.
I like the way the intro skilfully avoided a copyright lawsuit Mr Blond.
This handsome reporter could talk about literal dust for an hour and I would listen to his every word.
Would love to see Fred as next James bond
My theory is it’s a diversion. The whole building is just glamour to distract the real office of mi6
It's probably just a huge bouncy castle, the only tech being a compressor keeping it inflated.
Didn't know 100 westminster bridge road (Perspective building?) had a role in this! Great video as always B1M team
This opening sequence was crazy good! This channel always delivers straight w’s
That's a pretty cool way to first announce your secret spy service that you've had for decades: with an incredibly cool HQ building
I decided to do a report on this building for college years ago. Quickly realized that I could find any info on how it was built, but I didn't want to bother looking up another building. So I just made up everything and figured my lecturers wouldn't be able to find anything either. Seems like I got some of it right
You guys work hard on all your videos but you outdid yourselves this time. Well done!
You should do a piece on the construction of the GCHQ Donut HQ in Cheltehnam, a genuinely impressive building
A friend of mine was being vetted for the fit out of a new office in North Sydney (AU) a few years ago and he couldn't understand why he had to go through so many background checks. I asked him if this was for the new US Consulate as they were moving to that part of town the following year and a few weeks later he revealed that indeed it was for the new consulate. He wouldn't tell me any of the details which I tried so hard to learn from him. I wonder if they didn't bother vetting the workers for MI6 since no one knew at the time it was for their new HQ. Amazing architecture.
Incredible editing, commentary and overall journalism! Thank you B1M. Incredible editing, commentary and overall journalism! Thank you B1M.
I was an archaeologist for the Department of greater London archaeology (DGLA) of the museum of London in the 1980s & 1990s . We did the archeology for this site - we knew it as "Vauxhall bridgefoot" and even then we knew it was going to be something to the secret service as we were required to sign the official secrets act when we worked on the site. As it was, we found not much although there was some evidence of ceramics manufacture and of the 17th century Vauxhall Gardens.
As an aside, i later worked in education and did some development work on post-16 qualifications for QCA. We were based in a building opposite green park which was, I believe, the former MI5 HQ, complete with bombproof circular room with blast doors inside.
B1M in constant improvement, this video is great fun to watch (which is nothing new from B1M) but mostly very informative. To see, MI6 is quite a complex building. Well done guys as always!
LOVED the new intro. This show is ready for TV prime time!!
what did you learn about the MI6 headquarters? Nothing? Me too. This video was garbage, and he used all the bond crap to get your attention and distract from the fact that there was no information on the building..... despite the fact that he was doing a video on the building
@@davidanalyst671I did learn something about the building but more so on SIS itself.
MI6 is showing us this building as a decoy.
Got to say, loved the opening sequence. A masterpiece.
Tell everyone this is the headquarters so the real headquarters are forever kept secret 😏
Fascinating. By the sound of it, the attacks in Skyfall etc wouldn't have been as effective in reality as in the film from its sheer architectural strength.
I'd assume that in a hypothetical world where humans disappeared Vauxhall Cross would still be standing long after other buildings like St Pauls and Westminster Abbey had crumbled to dust.
Never one to comment - but this shows how far you have come and a step outside of the box. Great stuff here! Congrats!!
I lived in NYC in the 1980s and worked near the World Trade Center. The CIA's official (publicly agkwowledged) office was located in one of those towers. After the 9/11 attacks I read that the building next door to where I worked (and across the street from the WTC) was the location of the CIA's secret office where they coordinated spying on foreigners working at places like the United Nations headquarters and on Wall Street. At another point I worked in the International Building at Rockefeller Center (the one with the big statue of Atlas with the Earth on his shoulders and directly across Fifth Avenue from St. Patrick's Cathedral). Reading a book on US/ British intelligence/ espionage cooperation in the run up to the US's entry into WW Two I learned that was the location of the UK's secret (and illegal at the time) spy headquarters in America. I wish I had known these things at the time I was there rather than learning them decades later.
What an intro! I thought it would be way shorter than that at first, hopefully you had as much fun making it as we had watching it! 😂
As usual, awesome video!
B1M continues to outdo itself every time. This intro (and the graphics all together) is peak production here, and I love it.
Side note: if SIS/MI6 were taller, would it be known as a spyscraper?
I used to walk pass the building on the Thames path. I never felt comfortable walking, looking or doing anything, whilst walking past. I did however think that the large fountains that continuously emit white noise from the splashing water were a nice touch. :)
You and your team appear to have had a *lot* of fun in this production. Excellent! That energy comes across well!
Been named after the franchise and glad to learn more about the real story of MI6
I’ve gone past the mi6 building so many times not knowing it was the mi6 building this is a revelation