historic landmark transformed into resilient new headquarters
Tucked along the banks of the River Medway in East Farleigh, Kent, stands a striking reminder of Victorian engineering and architectural eclecticism. Built in 1860 by James Pilbrow, this Grade II-listed boiler house is a rare example of Egyptian Revival with the temples of Karnak, Luxor and Edfu – particularly the Temple of Horus – inspired civic and industrial buildings across the country.
Once crowned by an extraordinary obelisk chimney, now long vanished, the building had endured decades of change and underuse. Today, through a bold yet sensitive design by Felix Lewis Architecture & Interiors, it has been reimagined as The Works – a new headquarters for Chord Electronics...
The client’s ambition was twofold: to create a workplace that embodied the quality and ingenuity of their products, and to address the pressing challenge of the building’s riverside location. With the River Medway only metres away, flooding has always shaped the building’s use and resilience. The new design therefore not only had to unlock the potential of this unique historic structure, but also ensure that it could withstand and adapt to the realities of its environment. The most visible intervention is a new roof extension, which both expands the building’s capacity and restores a sense of verticality to its silhouette. Drawing inspiration from the form of the Egyptian pylon – monumental gateways that once framed temple entrances –
Photography © Chris Snook
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