The £250 million Old Vinyl Factory masterplan is a regeneration project, led by U+I, of the 17-acre former HMV Gramophone record press in West London, into a new mixed-use community.

Max Fordham provided M&E and Acoustics design services for the first two residential projects on the site – Boiler House and Material Store.

Boiler House is a new-build development of 54 apartments ranging from studios to two-bed flats, with two groundfloor commercial units.

Our brief from the client was to ensure the building worked efficiently while retaining the beauty and “wow-factor” of the architecture. Bold colours have been featured throughout the design of the project to reflect the fun, vibrant feel of the space.

The building features a lean district heating system and is connected to a new site-wide District Heat Network.

The scheme maximises the advantages of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), which provides the distinctive tapering façade as well as high insulation, airtightness, sustainable credentials and aided a quick construction time. Stainless steel shingle rainscreen cladding was used as the external envelope.

Due to the building’s close proximity to the main railway line out of Paddington, a high performance façade was designed in close coordination with the environmental strategy to ensure apartments remain both quiet and comfortable.

The building also includes a communal roof terrace to maximise garden space and encourage a greater sense of community.