Ercol Factory & Showroom

Ercol was founded in 1920, and has been dedicated to making solid hardwood furniture ever since. The company has always been keen on design and decided to follow this through with its new factory. The manufacturing shop is a simple rectangular shed, but adopts the democratic ethos of modernism by placing large windows around the perimeter, affording a valuable connection to the outside for the staff. At the public end of the factory are the offices and showroom. These are housed in a much smaller two-storey structure, with the offices on the first floor and the showroom below. This structure is slightly detached from the factory and the fact is reinforced by a glazed connection. A gigantic steel loggia wraps around this part of the building which echoes the size of the factory behind. This continues, veranda-like, around the workshop. One is forced to ask: Why aren't there more industrial buildings of this quality in the UK?