The Fold

Designed by experienced commercial architect Alfred M Ridge and built in 1892, the former ‘Warwick Building’ was part of a larger building known as the Whiteley’s Furniture Depository, which originally included Avon House and Beaumont House. In the 1970s, the Avonmore Trading Estate was affected by a fire, which caused significant damage to the adjoining Avon House.

In the 1990s adjoined the new Kensington Village, a collection of seven buildings which provides a secure office working campus environment. The Warwick Building was fully refurbished and adapted to office use, with works including new windows, new cores, and fire escapes. The roof was over-clad to provide enhanced protection from the elements and three rooftop plant enclosures were added.

The provision of new office accommodation and a roof terrace include:

• new plant — with three existing plant gantries behind the cores consolidated and enclosed within the extension;
• extended lift cores — lift core extensions made in the previous alterations were removed back to the original brickwork, and new extensions added to provide access and a means of escape to the new accommodation;
• office accommodation — new office accommodation was created on the 5th floor;
• a landscaped terrace the terrace satisfies the client’s aspiration to provide external space for office tenants. To preserve the symmetry of the building, the cladding framework was continued around the perimeter of the terrace and a pergola style roof was added;
• the new roof provides the terrace with enhanced privacy, solar shading and shelter from the elements;
• full CAT-A installation throughout;
• full fit-out to all common areas;
• replacement of old and inefficient MEP — improving efficiency by over 70%.

The new development sought to enhance the Warwick Building while being sensitive to the context of the Conservation Area and its status as a Building of Merit by retaining its impressive Victorian architectural features.

The provision of facilities achieved by the project exceeds the requirements set out in BCO, WELL and BREEAM (Excellent).