The Contracts House was built according to a design by architect William Heste in the Classical style, with architect Andriy Melenskyi supervising the construction.

The two-storey brick building, with basements at both ends, has a trapezoidal plan determined by the configuration of the site. The central sections of both floors were occupied by columned halls — the ground floor housed the hall for contract signings, while the upper floor contained a hall for assemblies and concerts. Access to the halls was provided through vestibules, and the main entrance, located on the side facing the square, emphasized the building’s public character.

The facades have a symmetrical composition, articulated by Doric porticoes that define their central axes. The main (southern) façade, facing Kontraktova Square, features a four-column portico crowned with a triangular pediment. The axes of the northern and western façades are accentuated by porticoes of six pilasters, while the eastern façade is adorned with three-quarter columns.

Since 1838, when the Nobility Assembly House was established in Kyiv, the Contracts House functioned as a merchants’ club. It hosted agricultural exhibitions (until the 1880s), as well as concerts, charity lotteries, official receptions, balls, and masquerades. The building was a cultural hub of Kyiv, visited by prominent writers, singers, and musicians, and remains one of the most distinguished examples of early 19th-century Classicism in the city.