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Holland Harvey Architects

Holland Harvey Architects

London, GB

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Goldfinger Factory Create The Ernő Kitchen, A ‘Kitchen With A Conscience’ In Collaboration With Holland Harvey Architects

By Richard Holland
Oct 6, '16 6:55 AM EST
Photo by Nathalie Priem
Photo by Nathalie Priem

Goldfinger Factory is a design and build social enterprise, situated in the underbelly of the architectural icon Trellick Tower. It has been running in partnership with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for three years. This inner city design and build workshop has helped an area which is a chronic hotspot of social problems through the medium of reuse and craft. Goldfinger Factory has provided training for young community members and plans to do much more.

Goldfinger Factory also has a mission to create and design sustainably, an ethos which includes materials and people. Having worked with Holland Harvey Architects on several successful projects including GAIL’s Artisan Bakeries all over London and Oxford and sharing a passion for materiality and fine craftsmanship, the time was perfect to collaborate on a groundbreaking project together.

That project is the Ernő kitchen designed to bring a sense of joy to the heart of the home with its simplicity, beauty, quality and social impact. A skilled team of artisans and artisans-in-themaking bring this modular modernist design to life in the Goldfinger Factory workshop located in the belly of Trellick. The Ernő design takes the iconic Trellick Tower, designed by Ernő Goldfinger as its inspiration. The careful choice of quality materials truly reflects the brutalist concrete tower. The terrazzo surface is reminiscent of the rough concrete texture of Trellick Tower, whilst the limed ash wood is a nod to the distinctive board marking of the timber shuttering used on Trellick.

The Ernő kitchen embodies true social conscience. The surplus gained from creating this bespoke kitchen will be used to fund more Goldfinger Factory workshops and allow them to train more community members in vital skills such as carpentry and finishing (see crowdfunding campaign now live at: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/FundFutureFactory). The makers themselves will also benefit, as will additional charities and causes in the local community including mental health, drug rehabilitation, youth work, elderly support and community regeneration projects.

Having been exhibited at Tent London as part of the London Design Festival the bespoke Ernő Kitchen is now available to view and buy.