The facades of the Circle buildings were designed by James Scott, Chief Engineer of the Elphinstone Land & Press Company, established in 1858 to undertake reclamation projects. The foundation stone was laid in 1864 for the Bank of Bombay, which was the first building developed in the Circle. The remaining buildings were completed by 1873.
Blind balustrades on the facade of Sir H.C. Dinshaw Building with wave motif band running below. Blind balustrades feature in every building in the Horniman Circle. Their purpose is decorative, rather than having any utilitarian function, unlike real balustrades, which provide support and provide protection along a ledge or a staircase.
Detail of female face on keystone. The faces on the upper levels were of women, influenced by Greek art. Like the keystones on the lower level, these are also each unique in their facial features and expressions. They mostly wear a floral crown and sport braided locks of hair on both sides.
Large framed portraits of prominent Mumbai citizens hang from the upper level of the Corporation Hall. This is Keshav Sitaram Thackeray (1885–1973), father of Balasaheb Thackeray, founder of the political party Shiv Sena. K.S. Thackeray was an author and social activist. He was also one of the key leaders of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti that campaigned for the creation of Maharashtra state based on linguistics and for the inclusion of Mumbai as the capital of Maharashtra.
Marble statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Corporation Hall. Hanging from the ceiling are microphones marked with numbers for respective speakers, one of the many additions made to suit changing technology. The original stained-glass panels from the bay window have been replaced with metal plaques commemorating Mumbai's history and prominent landmarks.