Interiors group Sanderson is to return to its spiritual and original home: Voysey House.
The group will begin moving to the Chiswick, west London site early next month with the move complete by the end of the month.
T Grade II* listed, Voysey House, as it is now known, was the only commercial building designed by the celebrated Arts & Crafts architect and designer CFA Voysey. Completed in 1902 as a wallpaper factory for Arthur Sanderson & Sons, the forerunner of the group’s Sanderson brand, the building itself is considered an important formative work in the evolution of the Modern Movement in architecture.
Initially known as the White Building, referring to the white-glazed bricks facade, it was linked via a footbridge to the main factory until closure in 1928 due to a fire that caused critical damage to the main building, leaving the White Building unscathed. Owner Dorrington has worked with dMFK Architects to restore it to its original design ethos whilst significantly improving its environmental performance.
Extensive facade refurbishment includes the white glazed brickwork, and replacement and restoration of all windows, which reference the original ‘Voysey Green’ metal coating – discovered beneath layers of black paint – which is echoed throughout the building. The original pitch pine flooring has been painstakingly restored to reveal the soft, pale tones, unique in 1902, compared to the tradition for dark stained woods.
Covering 16,000sqft across five floors, Voysey House will become home to an extensive Sanderson Design Group archive with original documents dating back to the 1600s. Located on the third floor, original porthole windows provide minimal dappled light and its unusual position is made possible due to the building’s original purpose as a wallpaper factory, capable of holding immense weight.
Sales, marketing and administration functions taking up three floors of the new head office. Plans for artworks, interactive installations, exhibitions and a social hub on the ground floor complete the home.
‘It is a great privilege to take our company back to its important and magnificent heritage home, which Dorrington has lovingly and meticulously restored to its former glory. I’m looking forward to creating a creative hub for our teams and collaborators to inspire the future legacy of impactful design,’ says Lisa Montague, Sanderson Design Group ceo.
‘The redevelopment of this special asset, the only commercial building Voysey designed, was unique and rewarding. The opportunity to breathe new life into buildings of this calibre and create outstanding, highly sustainable workplace is very much in line with the Dorrington approach. We look forward to welcoming Sanderson back home,’ says Bruce Thompson, Dorrington head of development and regeneration.
