The corner site of the building is exploited in the way the elevation curves around the acute angle at ground floor level like a ship's prow with a low square tower set back behind it. Along the prow are five stone panels carved by Evans. They depict the workers employed to build the town hall, including a welder, a labourer, a mason, a carpenter, and an architect; the latter is in the central panel and is signed by Evans. The sculptor is reported as having made sketches from life as work was going on. The councillors' entrance on Bow Road has a cantilevered concrete canopy balcony originally designed for councillors to give speeches from. It is decorated by ceramic mosaics, also by Evans, the underside illustrating the industries of Poplar and the River Thames; the balcony front bears the arms of the borough and child figures symbolising art, science, music and literature.