Cogent Works

BIRMINGHAM

997/0/10357 ST PAULS SQUARE 29-APR-04 52-54 Cogent Works

GV II Offices and restaurant,formerly manufactories with warehousing. c.1902, with late C20 alterations. By G.F. Hawkes, architect, of Birmingham, for E.L.Gyde , converted to commercial use in 1989 by Mark Humphries, architect. MATERIALS: Red brick with painted stone dressings, coped gables, ridge and gable stacks and slate roof coverings. PLAN: Evolved double courtyard plan, the earlier south-eastern yard enclosed on 3 sides, the later yard open to the north-west side. EXTERIOR: Front elevation to St Paul's Square of 2 phases, the 7 bays to the left built slightly earlier than the 5 bays to the right, both phases identically detailed. Symmetrical frontage of 3 storeys rising from a deep blue brick plinth. Facade arranged 2:3:2:3:2, with pediments incorporating occuli to the 3-bay sections. Double doorways to bays 1 and 2 with tall overlights, 6-pane transomed windows to bays 3 and 4 with stepped sills. Passage access to bay 5, tall glazed openings to bays 6 and 7, 6-panel doors to paired openings at bay 8, bays 9, 10 and 11 with late C20 glazed openings. Wide vehicle opening to bay 12 with late C20 barred gates. Between openings, banded brick piers with painted capitals. Moulded cornices to heads of ground and first floor openings, above girder lintels. Transomed window frames to first and second floors. Parallel 8-bay, 3 storey former workshop ranges to rear with multi-paned cast iron window frames below girder lintels, with doorways to upper floors formerly served by external stairs. Angled end bays form latrine towers. 7-bay cross returns from left-hand workshop range at end of yard. Workshop ranges with monopitch roofs. INTERIORS: The interiors have been remodelled to form office, shop and restaurant areas. HISTORY: The phased development of this manufactory, formerly named Cogent Works, started with Nos. 52-54, as shown on the surviving building plans. These indicate that the frontage range and right-hand workshop range incorporated basement levels, the latter partially accommodated below a narrow monopitch roof extending into the courtyard. The basement workshops are designated as machine rooms on the plans. The ground and first floors of the frontage range provided office, warehouse and packing areas, with workshops at the far ends of the rear ranges. The second floor of the frontage range provided further warehouse space, with workshops throughout the rear ranges at this level. The architectural treatment of the principal element appears a conscious effort to respect the C18 character of St Pauls Square. Forms a group with St Pauls Church (q.v.) An extensive, purpose-built complex of manufactories of c.1902 with integral warehousing, and retaining all of the original multi-storey shopping. The complex is a very complete survival of an early C20 manufactory development in an industrial quarter of Birmingham now recognised as being of international significance.