Contracts worth £250,000 for Yorkshire-based brick supplier
North Yorkshire firm York Handmade Brick Company has supplied 100,000 bricks to London Bridge Station, the runner-up in this year’s prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture.
London Bridge, one of Britain’s busiest railway stations, reopened after a redevelopment that cost £1bn. The RIBA Stirling Prize jury praised the station’s “voluminous spaces and impressive new concourse, which had significantly improved the experience of those who use it daily”.
York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, also supplied 100,000 bricks for London Bridge Place, an office and retail development, next door to the station. Together the contracts were worth £250,000, with the company creating special bricks called “Autumn Sunset” and “London Stock” for the two projects.
David Armitage, chairman of York Handmade, said: “We are honoured and humbled to have played a part in London Bridge Station coming so close to winning the Stirling Prize, the most prestigious award in the architectural world.
“The whole station development is absolutely stunning – and sets the bar incredibly high for future station redevelopments and restorations. This contract, together with our work at London Bridge Place, has really put York Handmade on the map. Our ability to produce attractive bespoke bricks to order means we are now on the radar of influential architects and builders across the country.
“They follow on from our work on the nearby Shard, arguably the most iconic modern building in the whole of London. It is fantastic that a Yorkshire company should have played a significant role in the acclaimed regeneration of the London Bridge area, which is now a commercial and residential hotspot.”
Other high-profile projects carried out in London by York Handmade include Highbury Stadium, Carmelite House and Highgate School.
Armitage added: “Our acclaimed work in London means our reputation as a premier brick supplier in the capital for both residential and commercial developments is gathering its own momentum. Our work on the Shard led to the prestigious London Bridge commissions, for example, so the future looks bright.”
