Frontage Building To Richard Klinger Factory

TQ 47 SE EDGINGTON WAY

Frontage building to 785/7/10056 Richard Klinger Factory

II

Offices, cutting shop, toolroom and storage for factory. Completed in 1937 to the designs of Wallis Gilbert and partners for Richard Klinger Ltd, founded in Austria in 1893, manufacturers of gaskets for engines and hydraulic pipelines and also water level gauges, valves and cocks. Symmetrical Modern Movement style building with steel frame clad with buff brick facings and brown facing bricks laid on end and stone dressings, with concrete floors and asphalted flat roofs. Two storeys and basement; 15 windows to front and 4 windows to side elevations, horizontal metal framed casements throughout. Principal feature is central three storey and basement tower incorporating octagonal clockface, flagpole, watertanks and principal staircase. This has a central tall staircase window above entrance which has brown brick and stone stepped architrave with flat stone hood and flight of steps with attached stone circular planters. Corner windows to ends of central tower. On each side are two storeys and basement wings of six bays, the last bays slightly recessed and with taller brown brick parapets. Seven-light casements with taller windows to ground floor and bands of brown facing bricks between floors. Side elevations have mainly 5-bay casements. Interior has main staircase with metal handrail. The curved glazed screens to the main entrance hall have been removed. This building originally housed the water tanks at the top of the central tower, a second floor company flat intended for visiting Austrian executives, offices on the first floor, cutting shop and toolroom on the ground floor and storage for rubber, asbestos, chemicals and consumable items in the basement. The attached production building to the south of 1937 and the 1960s is not recommended for listing.

["The Architect and Building News " 7 Jan 1938 pp19-21. Joan Skinner "Form and Fancy". Jon Boulter's unpublished thesis on Factory Buildings in london between the wars. ]

Listing NGR: TQ4735670342