BCO_National_Awards_2026_Suplement - Flipbook - Page 36
BCO Awards 2026
REFURBISHED / RECYCLED WORKPLACE
Sponsored by Saint-Gobain UK
Client
Chord Electronics
Owner
Chord Electronics
Regional Winner
Refurbished / Recycled Workplace
South of England and South Wales
Occupier
Chord Electronics
Project Manager
Inline Design
Quantity Surveyor
Inline Design
Architect
Felix Lewis Architecture &
Interiors
The Works
Interior Designer
Felix Lewis Architecture &
Interiors
Farleigh Bridge, Farleigh Lane, East Farleigh
Structural Engineer
Considine Consulting
Engineers
Contractor
Inline Design
T
he Works began life as
a Victorian waterworks
boilerhouse, but has
been reimagined as the
headquarters to high-end
audio equipment specialist
Chord Electronics.
Built in 1860, the Grade II
listed building was originally
topped with a chimney shaped
like an obelisk, part of a
neo-Egyptian trend that also
produced Brunel’s Clifton
Suspension Bridge.
By the time Chord
Electronics bought the site
in East Farleigh, Kent, that
history had been all but
buried. The building had
been converted into offices,
then fallen into disrepair.
Already based next door,
Chord wanted to expand and
commissioned architect Felix
36 • ESTATES GAZETTE • October 2026
Lewis, who had grown up
nearby and knew the building,
to turn it into a 2,600 sq ft
headquarters showcasing the
brand’s bold identity.
Lewis was working under
constraints: a flood-prone
River Medway, a Grade II
listing, and planners who
insisted any revamp would
not overpower the original
structure. Rather than treat
limits as obstacles, he worked
with them. The result is
a tapering mansard roof
extension, clad in Corten steel
and stepped back from the
original roofline. The smallest
details carry the theme
through, with glass partitions
etched in hieroglyphs,
including water symbols in a
nod to the site’s flood-prone
location. The ground floor was
tanked and electrical systems
raised to protect against
flooding.
The judges praised the
result as “sensitive yet
transformative, breathing
new life into the structure
of a Victorian pump house
with great visual appeal,”
and highlighted its potential
as “a viable and responsible
alternative to new-build”.
bco.org.uk
