60. Whitechapel Bell Foundry

The foundry est.1570 is one of the country’s oldest manufacturing companies. These buildings date from 1740 and are one of the only remaining examples of this typology of shop, house and factory behind.

Big Ben and the liberty Bell were cast here and business continued into the decades after the war replacing church bells damaged in WW2. Business closed in 2017, owner Alan and Katherine Hughes said the old buildings were no longer suitable for use and it wasn’t viable to make a living from making church bells. The output of noise and emissions from diesel furnace from the process are incompatible with a residential context. The site was sold and the new owner purchased an adjacent site in redchurch street, to be a hotel whilst reinstating the foundry function in the original building with bell makers Westley and AB fine art.

31 / 44 spoke about their new proposals for the foundry which include a public cafe on the ground floor, separated by a glazes screen from the working foundry, artist studios on the upper floors and educational facilities. The working foundry partners will continue making Whitechapel hand bells under license and the foundry will be used for making sculptures. A hotel is proposed for the adjacent site.

31/44 gave us an insight into their methods and approaches – how design is a continual process of talking, questionning and not always knowing where The answer will take you. The importance of model making, sketching and always coming back to the context and the story of the Foundry as one of collective endeavour.