Vauxhall Cross is home to Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, sometimes known as MI6, who took up occupancy in 1995. To employees working there it is known as 'Legoland'.

The building, which reputedly cost £130m ($195m) to build, became famous when it appeared in the opening sequence of the James Bond movie 'The World is Not Enough'. It is a modern-day fortress, boasting bomb and bulletproof walls and windows and, allegedly, a wire mesh to prevent electromagnetic information from passing in or out. Much of the complex is below street-level to protect the most sensitive areas from terrorist attack, while its internal layout is covered by the Official Secrets Act.

On 20 September 2000 at around 9:45pm, the building's defences were tested when it was attacked by a rocket-launcher (specifically, a Russian-built Mark 22 anti-tank weapon). At least one missile was fired at the side of the building facing Albert Embankment, striking somewhere near the 8th floor. Only one window was damaged.

Vauxhall Cross is also affectionately known as 'Babylon-on-Thames'.