Building D10 at Boots Factory Site

MATERIALS The building is composed of reinforced concrete with canted octagonal mushroom columns that carry continuous reinforced-concrete floor slabs. The building is surrounded by continuous glazed curtain walls.

PLAN The building has a rectangular plan and has cantilevered loading docks on each long side. Unloading and manufacturing were concentrated on the ground floors, with products stored higher up the building until ready for packaging and dispatch.

EXTERIOR The building is of 4 storeys with a working basement under the south side of the building. The building was built with flexible extendible partitioning which could be taken down or put up as needed. The flat and multi-pitch concrete roof is inset with circular glass discs throughout. The cantilevers are supported by whaleback beams and there are deep, splayed cornices and eaves. The curtain walls have continuous metal framed glazing: the fenestration was modernised in the 1990s. Each side has 5 lift and stair enclosures, those to the south-east have hipped, glazed roofs. The west end has a central five-storey section containing lift towers and doors. The north side has metal and glazed concrete canopies.

INTERIOR The interior has multi-flight concrete cantilevered stairs from west end lift towers. There are four, east-facing rectangular, light wells forming a full-height atrium down the centre of the building, top-lit via glass disks set into the concrete roof. There are 4 walkway galleries around each well. On the south side of the building, three two-storey light wells are top-lit in the same way. The roof has concrete purlins and steel lattice girders. Other features are the glass domed roof at first floor level containing the perfumery area and metal frames for metal shoots, now lost, which were used to slide goods down to the lower floors. Some areas were converted for office and production use necessitating the introduction of modern partitions.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES The front terrace has concrete slab, hard surfacing - some of the slabs replaced - with original entrance railings and two slender lamp stands with square, leaded shades. On the south-west side, towards the north-west corner of the building, a rail track exists under today’s road surface, that formerly entered the building, and on which a steam-charged train was used to dispatch products after processing.

The asset was previously listed twice also at List entry 1247646. This entry was removed from the List on 23/04/2015.