TG009
Parkesine Studios, the handsome brick building at 75 - 89 Wallis Road, Hackney Wick has seen a lot of changes over the years. Initially constructed in the mid 1800s, it was used as a factory for the manufacture of waterproof clothing, and was where the world’s first plastic - known as Parkesine - went into production in 1856, at a time when much of the surrounding area was home to heavily polluting industries. By the mid 1920s it was surrounded by the sprawling estate of the Clarnico confectionery company, but by the time they closed production in the 1970’s, the land had become a mixture of car repair garages, storage, sawmill and paint workshops - with Central Books havng taken over parts of the building as part of a growing number of adjoining and interconnecting warehouses linked to their main building nextdoor, the old printing and packaging works for Clarnico.
A vehicle repair business continued to operate from the site until 2018, when all of the warehouses added during the 20th Century were demolished to make way for a mixed use, residential-led development, with the original rubber works buildings retained and restored as a condition of the planning permission.
The brick structure has a solid and enduring quality, but was in a very poor state of repair, so the construction team should be proud of the work they have undertaken to retain its character and make it useful for a new generation of people working to innovate and create in Hackney Wick. This big, solid, loose fit space could be home to a wide range of uses - all of which fit with the character of Hackney Wick today.
Shared workspace, including for talks / events & a small cafe…
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