The Candle Factory

This 17,000 sq.ft mixed use development in Kensington Church Street draws inspiration from the area’s candle-making history. The building echoes aspects of the candle-creation process in which wax is heated in a dipping container. The precast panels were specially developed for the building and contain a quartz aggregate, designed to give a shimmering effect to the façade.

Praised by planners as a cohesive addition to the townscape, SPPARC worked closely with the local authority to gain planning approval and to produce an exceptional mixed-use development with a dynamic façade, that compliments the character of the Conservation Area whilst being unapologetic about its modernity. Through a carefully crafted design that reflects on the traditional building hierarchy of the surrounding conservation area, SPPARC was able to successfully integrate a larger scaled building onto this prominent site. The residential apartments that occupy the second to fifth floors feature floor-to-ceiling openable windows and interiors finished with white-washed oak. A terrace situated on the rooftop serves one of the two lateral apartments, whilst the two duplex apartments are served by balcony spaces. The office space which fronts directly onto Kensington Church Street is served with bike storage and shower facilities at the basement level.

The scheme balances matters of scale, material quality and functionality to achieve a building which has distinctive architecture while sensitive cohabiting with the surrounding heritage context.

The architectural composition was designed in harmony with the character of the Kensington Conservation Area, using modern interpretations of traditional materials, window hierarchy and features that enhance the character and appearance of the surrounding context.

From the mid 19th Century, Kensington had the reputation as the foremost supplier of candles to English Catholic churches. SPPARC drew inspiration from local history to craft an architecturally interesting yet fitting addition to the neighbourhood.

Through its concept the building has a vertical rhythm that rises elegantly from its base which integrates into the established street pattern, whilst the receding form of the roof pavilion is largely undetectable when standing in Kensington Church Street looking north east or south west.

SPPARC used innovative architectural techniques to create the original design concepts for the site that reflect on the historic origins of the area. We wanted to evolve an architectural composition of beauty and merit whilst respecting and responding to the inherent limitations of the location.

As the building rises, the form and mass of The Candle Factory recedes into the depth of the site, and the elevation treatment responds with a palette of lighter materials articulated to respond to the differing contextual conditions of Edge Street and Kensington Place.