It is divided into several parts, namely, The Arms, The Crest, the Supporters and The Motto.
The building is an example of the pure classical form, invented by the Greeks and still used to give a sense of permanence and grandeur. It consists of a stylobate, columns with doric capitals, a plain architrave surmounted by a frieze with triglyphs and pediment with sculptured tympanum. It is coloured gold to denote excellence. The border represents bricks – the commonest building material.
The helmet is in silver with a mantling of red lined with silver – the colours of England and the City of London. This is surmounted by a bee within a hexagon, The bee being symbolic of a builders merchant in that he gathers the material together; it is also a symbol of industry, efficiency and celerity. More recently, the bee has also come to represent the Company’s work promoting sustainability in building, which has become a central tenet of the builders’ merchant industry.
These symbolise the educational and charitable activities of the Company. The owl is a symbol of learning and the pelican an ancient symbol of perfect charity. They are perched on a log and a stone representing other principal building materials.
