This post has been inspired by one of Philip Wilkinson’s articles published in his magisterial “English Buildings” blog in which he mentions a quintessentially 1930s octagonal tower clock face on one of the London’s Art Deco hallmark buildings. I thus recalled that I found here in Bucharest, at the opposite extremity of Europe, a quite spectacular Art Deco tower clock set within an exuberant arrangement of predominantly octagonal shapes, presented in the photograph above. It crowns the former National Hotel building, now the headquarters of an insurance company, which has been erected in the late 1930s (I have not yet identified the architect(s), but I will make the necessary mention as soon as I will find something). I very much like the play between the multitude of stern geometrical profiles and ornaments, which together embrace the clock face within a symphony of octagonal, square, oblong and other shapes, some arranged in stepped groups according to the rule of three peculiar to the Art Deco style. The great pity is that the clock itself is not the original one, but a cheap contemporary electronic replacement. I remember the original one in my student days in Bucharest during the late 1980s as being of a typical 1930s design, endowed with chunky bronze arms shaped like metal strips that revolved over a creamy white clock face. I just hope that the old clock has not been thrown away to the scrap metal bin as is often happening in Romania nowadays, but is stored somewhere inside the building awaiting better days when Bucharest people will again appreciate their architectural heritage and identity.
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I endeavor through this daily series of daily articles to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural history and heritage.
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If you plan acquiring a historic property in Romania or start a renovation project, I would be delighted to advice you in sourcing the property, specialist research, planning permissions, restoration project management, etc. To discuss your particular plan please see my contact details in the Contact page of this weblog.
Valentin Mandache, architectural historian 
Thank you for mentioning my blog, and the post that inspired yours.
What a terrific tower! It would be wonderful if the original clock still exists and could be reinstated.
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This is a lovely example of Art Deco. What street is it in? I can’t make out the name on the photo (which is also an excellent idea and a good way to help locate a building in context.) Incidentally, the former Hoover building on Western Avenue in London is now partially a supermarket — it’s an interesting experience to go in there and buy food so close to the original Art Deco building! The facade and side blocks have been left alone.
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The street is called Boulevard Carol I, close to the University building to the east. I know the Hoover building on GWR; I used to live a stone throw away behind it for about seven years. Stunning building and that next to it (a Lloyd’s Bank branch as I recall). It made a deep impression on me all of those years ago. I especially enjoyed it when coming back to London by airplane during night time. The Hoover building was on the flightpath and easy to spot as it was all enveloped in green light as was some of its original decoration- nice memories! I was always amazed to see that the whole area has been in the 1930s full of high tech factories, some of them engaged in aircraft parts production- a true Art Deco machine era environment. Valentin
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