Albion Works, Hackney

Chris Dyson Architects for private client
Contract value: £2m 
GIA: 800m² 
Cost per m²: £2,500

Albion Works involves the change of use and extension of a derelict Victorian cabinet-making workshop. The converted ground floor provides studio/office accommodation and the three floors above are warehouse-style flats. A triple-height glazed access stair runs through the centre of the building; for privacy, views are focused along the gardens by a blank Roman brick wall. A new concrete frame gives structural stability. Ceiling slabs are cast against rough textured sand-blasted Douglas fir, and vertical walls are cast against phenolic ply, for a contrastingly smooth finish. A large tank collects rainwater for flushing WCs, and all flats are equipped with HRV systems.

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