A range of AkzoNobel coatings have been used in the award-winning conversion of a Victorian chocolate factory into a modern day living space. The building, which now comprises 48 residential apartments, was awarded the Evening Standard New Homes Award for Best Apartment, due to its impressive layout, high quality finish and use of materials.
Situated in Shoreditch, East London, the factory was transformed by luxury property developer, Westcombe Homes. Although the building now boasts a thoroughly contemporary design and state of the art facilities, some of its original features, such as exposed brickwork and beams, remain as a nod to the factory’s rich history.
Sunil Pankhania, operations director at Westcombe Homes, said: “Our brief was to convert the ornate Victorian building into a contemporary living space, while retaining some of its striking architectural features.
“In order to achieve the highest possible standard for the renovation, we required coatings that would not only combine an attractive finish with long-term durability, but would also help to show off the building’s unique design.”
Glidden Trade Contract Matt was specified for use on the walls and ceilings, both in the apartments and in communal areas such as corridors, as it provided a high level of coverage while meeting the budget requirements of the project. White was chosen to maximise the building’s natural light and provide an attractive contrast to the exposed brickwork and timber.
Dulux Trade Metalshield was also used on the exposed steel beams in the apartments in Dove Grey, helping to draw attention to the building’s key architectural features, while the hardwearing and dirt resistant Dulux Trade Satinwood was used for the trim.
Sunil continued: “At Westcombe Homes, we’ve trusted AkzoNobel products to help us achieve the highest standards on our projects for almost 30 years, so it was a natural choice for us to specify its coatings for the factory conversion. We couldn’t be happier with the finished result, and the contribution this made to our development being awarded the accolade of Best New Apartment at the Evening Standard New Homes Awards.”
