No 1 Silex is an industrial-era building that was formerly a printworks, and dates from around World War One.
Its interior exposed brick walls, laid in English bond, have been sandblasted back to their original state – warm, light-brown and pinkish. The sash window frames and their deep sills remain, with updated double glazing; and the high ceilings, encouraging excellent air-flow, are supported by black-painted cast-iron, heavy-duty rivetted columns that retain the atmosphere of the building’s original function as an artisanal space.
The hardwood floors throughout are calming and harmonise with the textured surfaces of metal and brick, and various modern fittings designed to contrast and highlight the character of the space (such as vertical slatted-style black radiators).
The open roof substructure surmounting the white space of the topmost floor is an industrial, steel version of the ancient, barn-style Queen-post roof, and lifts the atmosphere of the space into a calming and productive zone.
Set in a quarter of Blackfriars that was famous for its light industry, artisan production and specialist engineering, and especially printing (which continues in the area to this day), No 1 Silex is a unique gem, architecturally and in spirit.
It has been reimagined and realised in a high-quality manner and is ready to move into today.