Project overview
Hathern Terra Cotta’s involvement in the project started in 1899 when Hathern Station Brick and Terra Cotta Company were approached to supply the initial terracotta. Over the next few decades, it moved on from its genesis as the Eccles Rubber and Cycle Company headquarters and became a linen clothing factory under the Co-operative Society. Next, it produced factory-made pianos from 1931 before producing bedsteads from 1941 onwards until it fell into disuse and was ultimately severely damaged by a fire in 2007.
Aukett Swanke’s regeneration of STEAMhouse restored and regenerated the locally listed Belmont Works building. The Belmont Works industrial heritage was a key element for the rejuvenation and rather than overwhelm the previous presence, the original building was carefully elevated by the new building, allowing Belmont Works to retain aesthetic dominance, with Hathern Terra Cotta being brought in to supply over 2,500 units as part of the rebuild.
Special attention was paid to the building’s environmental impact. The construction and refurbishment of the project paid careful attention to the measurement and reduction of carbon emissions during the manufacturing process. Unnecessary waste produced on site is minimised by a “reduce, reuse, recycle” mentality with an emphasis on good neighbourhood practices to ensure local negative impact is reduced and encourage the growth and proliferation of green areas. In addition to the targeted reduction of electricity, gas and water consumption, the project has achieved a “Very Good” BREEAM rating.
STEAMhouse has won the coveted Victorian Society Conversation Award (Birmingham and West Midlands) and in October 2023 was announced the winner of the Education Estates “Project of the Year” in the Universities category, amongst numerous other shortlisted awards.
