The British High Commission is one of the most well known examples of the international style in Ottawa, the building sits prominently on Elgin Street, adjacent to the National Arts Centre and Confederation Square.

The building follows a strict grid in elevation, which does not break across the entirety of the facade. At grade, the building is clad with large brown granite panels, visually anchored on either side by dark-grey granite columns. A lighter grey granite clads the rest of the building above grade, with the exception of the mechanical penthouse, which is clad in the same dark-grey granite as the base.

The Conservation Guidelines for the former British High Commission were authored by TRACE architectures.