PROJECT REPORT: COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS 33
of the buildings’ original architects, and to quickly maximise the site’s commercial potential, while bringing character and a sense of coherence to the properties. “There’s a narrative in the buildings, from the vertical beams on [The Dock’s] facade that loosely reference the grooves of a record, and the timber and concrete insides continuing this.”
Pre-development
Prior to the acquisition of the site, the buildings retained had a long and interesting history. In 1919, Sandersons & Sons, a wallpaper and paint manufacturer, took over the plot. Later, in 1960, Marcel Rod of Art & Sound Ltd acquired the site, followed by Saga, which in 1975 bought B&C and Trojan Records, bringing reggae to Kensal Road with a notable roster of artists including Bob Marley and the Wailers and Jimmy Cliff.
There are a number of buildings on
the site, including a Victorian former warehouse, as well as buildings from the 30s and 60s – all of which were able to be kept and updated.
While still a working studio and vinyl manufacturer, using recycled vinyl from Phillips records factory, the buildings became increasingly focused on recording studio use, and were “getting tighter and
ADF NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
tighter, with more bits added on.” Latterly, the tenants had struggled with the changing nature of the music business and left the site open for acquisition.
Once the site was acquired by the client, the project was procured as a two stage tender process, with Graham Construction Group producing a ‘value engineered contract’ and associated documentation. With the architect having worked with the client before on other adaptive reuse workspaces – including ‘Alphabeta’ in Finsbury Square, Resolution Property soon approached Studio RHE to begin designs for the project. “All of our previous projects with the client had been successful and profitable,” says Foster, “so of course we welcomed this new opportunity.”
Planning Originally, planning was acquired just before Brexit occurred, a consent would have seen a full rebuild with a mix of residential units, office spaces, and a bowling alley. Following the split from the EU however, Foster explains that the client “did some analysis, and decided that wasn’t the right route forwards.”
“They wanted instead to progress a solely office scheme, which could be constructed faster and at a lower cost –
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OUTWARDS & UPWARDS
The architects were able to extend the existing Old Gramophone Works factory upwards to six storeys, due to the concrete structure having been designed for future adaptability
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