We are extremely excited at Diespeker to reveal more of our plans to upgrade our premises in Bermondsey. Ormside Street and the surrounding area is undergoing lots of change at the moment, and so are we!
We are super proud of having the chance to give a makeover to the building and factory. While this is first and foremost a working premises within an industrial sector, we wanted to give a real sense of pride and a nod to our heritage to Diespeker HQ.
The most obvious change is to the façade. Designed by architect Keith Hiley of KHA Architects, this is based on the Art Deco designs of the 1920s. This reflected changes of the time from jazz and radio to skyscrapers and cubism. It’s very recognisable for its sharp angles and zigzags, with curved lines being added later in the era. If you’ve walked past the Michelin Building in Fulham, this is a great example of early Art Deco – a building Diespeker aspires to, perhaps!
The actual construction of the façade will be created by Diespeker, using precast terrazzo with echoes of the stunning work we undertook for architect John Outram with the Isle of Dogs Stormwater Pumping Station way back in the 1980s.
We’re also paying homage to our heritage with plans to create a terrazzo museum. Well, we thought, if there’s a pencil museum then surely there should be one for terrazzo! Having been so central to the introduction of this superb material to the UK from the 1880s when Diespeker was founded, we are keen to highlight how terrazzo is so much a part of both everyday life and exceptional design. There’s scope to link up with schools to make this a more educational experience – we’re already in talks with our local school.
Add to this our celebratory 140th anniversary mural already in place – painted by street artist Lionel Stanhope and already a well-recognised feature at our entrance on Penarth Street.
Our hope is that the Diespeker building will become an iconic building in its own right, instantly recognisable and one of a kind!
