丨英国伦敦丨Henley Halebrown

architects Henley Halebrown

Poppy Factory London 2017–2021

The scheme unites factory and office staff, and the visiting public by linking the Charity’s three buildings in a single barrier free accessible landscape of connected spaces. The work involves an extension and reconfigured interiors, creating office space, a foyer, exhibition space, auditorium and café.

The Warehouse has been adapted to create new office space

The Brutalist block at the front of the site continues to be used as the main entrance to The Poppy Factory. The offices it had housed have been replaced by new visitors’ facilities

The Poppy Factory was made up of three isolated buildings. Our scheme has linked these three buildings together into one interconnected landscape, creating a campus and a stronger sense of community

The new office space

The new office space, with the facade opened up to the prospect of the charity’s charming 1930s housing estate to the south

It is a monumental and generous space that does not require mechanical cooling

Ramps allow people of all abilities were introduced to allow everyone to navigate around the ground floor without assistance, going beyond statutory requirements to provide an environment that is inclusive in the best sense.

The design has linked these three buildings together and in doing so has deliberately united office and factory. This has been achieved with a combination of new ramped routes as well as a lift creating level access where floor heights currently vary by as much as 2.5m

The introduction of abundant natural light results in the feel of an external space or atrium

Cross section through warehouse office space and Art Deco factory

New south elevation

The space is further transformed by the introduction of new skylights

The redesign creates a public building combining exhibition, presentation spaces and a cafe

The Brutalist block at the front of the site continues to be used as the main entrance to The Poppy Factory. The offices it had housed have been replaced by new visitors’ facilities

These remodelled public areas are essential to the project as the charity hosts daily tours for school children and members of the public

The semi-industrial rawness has been retained

Our design of the Poppy Factory replaces a new built scheme making significant fabric improvements

Our design reduces the energy demand and hence CO2 emissions

Technical

Appointment: 2017

Construction start: 2020

Completion: 2021

Area: 1200m

2

Sustainable credentials: Energy Assessment / Carbon dioxide emissions reduction / BREEAM rating

Client: The Poppy Factory

Planning Consultant: Gerald Eve

Structural Engineer: Arup

Services Engineer: Arup

Building Control: Socotec

Cost Consultant: Alinea

Project Management: RealPM

Access Consultant: David Bonnett Associates

Contractor: Bryne Group

Exhibition Design: Samantha Heywood with Amanda Shephard

Exhibition Design Management: Alex Dunkley, Gardiner & Theobald

Photography: Nick Kane

Awards

AJ Retrofit Awards, Workplace up to £5m, (Shortlisted) 2022