Member Article

York Handmade plays pivotal role in stunning London residential development

The award-winning York Handmade Brick Company has provided thousands of bricks and arches for a stunning new London residential development.

This lucrative commission was worth nearly £250,000 for the Alne-based firm, one of the leading independent brick-makers in the country.

York Handmade’s specially-manufactured bricks are a pivotal feature of the £92 million One Molyneux Street building in Marylebone in London’s West End.

This flagship five-storey building is the largest and most expensive traditional brick-built building to be constructed in the West End since the Edwardian era. It comprises 32 luxury one, two and three-bedroom apartments and duplexes.

Guy Armitage, the managing director of York Handmade, commented: “This was an incredibly prestigious project for us and a great honour to provide so many bricks for such a landmark building in the heart of London”.

He explained: “It was crucial that the bricks we provided fitted in seamlessly with the rest of the historic red-brick buildings of Molyneux Street. We created a special Molyneux blend for the main façade of the building, which we are very proud of. The brick were not a traditional size and we used our popular long thin Maxima range, which has worked perfectly. Alex Wheeler of Stevenage-based Marshmoor Bricks secured this significant contract for York Handmade.

He explained: “The architects were clear what they wanted - a premium aesthetic brick, but UK made. York Handmade developed bespoke products to match each colour in the brickwork.

“The result is a polychromatic masterpiece. It is a brilliant synthesis of traditional form and modern design. I often travel down Edgware Road on route to clients and regularly detour to look at it. I’m proud to have been part of a very British project.”

Designed by Shard Architecture, the development - and the street - are named after a grand brick townhouse owned by Vice Admiral Molyneux Shuldham, who was once the governor of Newfoundland.

More recently, it was occupied by Elliott House, an unlovely Metropolitan Police base built in 1939. It was then demolished to make for this development.

Guy Armitage added: “This is another significant string to our bow in London. We are proud to be part of a rich tradition in London, where brick continues to be in material that helps buildings to bridge the divide between the traditional and the contemporary, as well as giving them a unique and individual look.

“This is evident in our work in the capital, including on buildings as prominent as the Shard, Highgate Junior School, London Bridge Station, London Bridge Place, the old Highbury Stadium and Carmelite House on the Victoria Embankment.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .