Brick maker plays pivotal role in developing 16-storey apartment tower

The York Handmade Brick Company has completed one of the largest contracts in its 36-year history.

York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, has supplied 300,000 bricks for 16-storey apartment building at the rear of Kings Cross Station in central London.

The contract was worth £150,000 to the independent brickmaking business.

This residential development, called Cadence, is one mile from the City of London and comprises 103 one, two and three-bed apartments.

David Armitage, chairman of York Handmade, said: “We are both proud and humbled to have played such a pivotal role in the appearance and construction of one of London’s most important recent residential developments.

“This is a flagship project which has reshaped the skyscape of the Kings Cross area.

“We are also honoured that our bricks have been recognised as integral to the design of Cadence. This stunning building is a tremendous example of the beauty and versatility of brick, which remains the building material of choice for many forward-thinking architects and developers.”

Alison Brooks, of London-based Alison Brooks Architects, which designed Cadence, said: “We were looking for a brick to achieve our design intention of a monolithic, sculptural building form expressed in a vibrant orange-red hue, like the colour of nearby St Pancras Station.

“We were also looking for a long-format brick, like the long bricks of ancient Roman buildings. We were pleased to find the York Handmade bricks that fulfilled all three of these criteria.” 

Armitage added: “In a wider context, the completion of this stunning development marks over a decade of York Handmade Brick’s involvement in reshaping the look of England’s capital city.

“During the past 14 years we have provided the bricks for some of London’s most stunning new buildings.

“Apart from Cadence, we have successfully completed commissions for Lancer Square, a multi-million pound mixed-used development close to Kensington Place, the iconic Shard, London Bridge Station, London Bridge Place, Highgate School, Carmelite House on the Victoria Embankment, the redeveloped Highbury Stadium and One Molyneux Street in Marylebone.

“We are extremely proud to have played a key role in the reshaping of modern London over the past 10 years. It is wonderful to have a little bit of Yorkshire in the heart of the capital.”