A group of derelict buildings in Hayes, Middlesex, once the home of legendary record label EMI, is being restored in a joint effort by Studio Egret West, Duggan Morris Architects and Allford Hall Monaghan Morris. The £250m project by Cathedral Group and Development Securities will see the 1927 Art Deco complex updated for offices, residential and cultural space.The Old Vinyl Factory, as it will be called, hopes to celebrate the unique heritage of the site, which was originally acquired at the turn of the 20th century by the Gramophone and Typewriter Company, eventually EMI. It is the largest surviving complex of buildings designed by Wallis, Gilbert & Partners, best known for Art Deco gems such as west London’s Hoover Building. Up until the 1970s the plant pressed records for all the biggies including The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, the Beach Boys and Elvis. In its 1960s heyday, it supported 14,000 employees.
The first phase of the project is underway with The Vinyl Canteen, designed by Morag Myerscough, having opened its doors in the partly occupied Shipping Building. Cathedral’s creative director Martyn Evans says the masterplan for the whole site will be revealed in spring 2012: “Our aspiration is that the architectural, cultural and industrial heritage of the place will inform every aspect of the design, resulting in an innovative and creative workplace.” Here is a taster…
