Friedland Doorbell Factory

Sadly demolished before it could come to be appreciated, this factory for V. & E. Friedland, a doorbell manufacturer, was awarded a Commendation by the RIBA in 1984, four years after its completion. Constructed in 71 weeks, the in-situ concrete frame cast with Creetown granite aggregate and a tooled finish, was subject to advice from the Cement and Concrete Association in its development. The outer section of the frame was clad with super flush mirror glazed panels more akin to early C21 Swiss architecture than early 80s Stockport! Behind the concrete exoskeleton, simple concrete block formed the majority of the external wall. Precast planks for the gallery floors, that surrounded a large production space, contributed to the speedy construction programme. Derek Codling was born in London and studied architecture at Liverpool University. He spent time in the architecture departments of new towns at Runcorn and Milton Keynes. His modernist approach to design really resonates through this scheme in which an absence of style puts it outside the fashions of its period and ahead of its time.