Project Spotlight: The Menier Chocolate Factory
Early last year, LA London was appointed as architect and interior designer on its sweetest project to date: a refurbishment of the Menier Chocolate Factory. Once a British outpost of French confectioner Menier, this grand, Victorian Grade-II listed building is now home to an award-winning theatre. It also happens to be just across the street from the LA London studio.
LA London’s BIM model of the Menier Chocolate Factory building
A Rich History
Built between 1865 and 1874, the five-storey Gothic-style building is a rare example of a well-appointed Victorian warehouse. It was listed under Grade II in 1996 in recognition of its considerable architectural value.
Its deliberately designed facade shows lavish detailing and decorative elements facing the street, serving as advertising for the company. Towards the rear, additional warehouse structures date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The rear has a more utilitarian aspect, adjacent to the railway viaduct.
In the 1980s, the building fell into disrepair, but it was restored in 2004. Although there have been some alterations to the ground floor’s layout, windows and stairwell, as well as the installation of a lift, most of the exterior remains intact. The upper floors of the building feature spacious open areas and an exposed supporting structure.
Now a popular and thriving arts destination, the building is home to the Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre. It also serves as an office space, restaurant and bar, and has appeared as a backdrop for several films, TV productions, podcasts and photo shoots.
Conservation Area
51–53 Southwark Street
The Menier Chocolate Factory is located on Southwark Street in Southwark’s Thrale Street Conservation Area. Alongside its similar neighbour, it makes an assertive and positive contribution to the area, which is characterised by grand industrial and commercial structures built after the establishment of Southwark Bridge Road and Southwark Street in the early to mid-19th century.
Our Client and Partners
The owner of the building is Southwark Square Limited, a boutique, female-led property company, which runs event spaces and offices in London Bridge – including the LA London studio.
Through Menier Venues, the company provides unique spaces for events including film and photography shoots, launches, shows and parties, including the penthouse of our own building. Their popular event space, Menier Lounge, is undergoing refurbishment as part of the project and will open alongside the new offices in spring 2025.
The building is truly mixed-use, with tenants spanning retail, media, hospitality and the arts, which meant our design needed to be versatile and adaptable to a range of uses.
A CGI rendering of a new meeting room in the building.
LA London worked with West+Vittori as the principal contractor, Gardiner and Theobald as the quantity surveyor and employer’s agent, and Rockhopper as the client representative. We also collaborated with several other consultants and specialists to bring the project to fruition.
LA London’s Role
Thanks to our team’s broad skill set, LA London received a sizeable brief, acting as architect, interior designer, principal designer, and design guardian for the client during RIBA Stage 5 (construction).
We are refurbishing the north, east and south elevations, retaining most of the original elements such as fenestration, doors, loading doors, and crane jibs, which are legacies of the building’s former industrial function.
Internally, we are also delivering a substantial refurbishment. The building retains its principal rooms: large, attractive open spaces with exposed original brickwork, yellow brick feature window dressings, cast-iron columns supporting timber joists and trusses, loading doors and fireplaces.
A 3D-cuaway of the BIM model
The fourth floor remains open to the roof, which features a timber-trussed roof with queen posts and timber plank soffits. While the main timber staircase retains its original position, we have constructed a new staircase between the third and fourth floors to provide improved continuity of circulation .
The interior of the building maintains its industrial character and openness while incorporating minimal partitions to accommodate meeting rooms and other facilities. Desks are positioned along the main façade to make use of the natural light. A balance between warm and cool tones is achieved through carefully chosen materials and finishes.
Partner James Hall and architectural assistant Ema Benzar are overseeing the project, which is scheduled for completion in April 2025.
Refurbished office space on the top floor of the building, which features a timber-trussed roof with queen posts (CGI).
The Outcome
While work is ongoing, we are hugely proud of the design outcome so far. Listed buildings are remarkable structures, filled with history and charm, and require careful interventions to preserve their character.
We have worked carefully to create a sense of light and open space inside the building, with most brick walls exposed. We have also ensured our finishes complement the existing fabric of the building. The staircase extension up to the fourth floor is in keeping with the main timber stair, and sits within the same stairwell to maintain continuity.
Refurbished office space with exposed brickwork (CGI)
The building’s proximity to our studio means we have been able to oversee the project closely and hold regular meetings on-site with the client and consultants.
By consulting frequently with planning and heritage authorities, we overcame initial delays in obtaining planning approval, finding a satisfactory outcome for all parties and ensuring that our design meets the client's requirements. As a result, some office units and the ground floor restaurant are already under offer. For details on available units, visit https://www.meniervenues.com/offices/.
To find out more about working with LA London on a workplace refurbishment, view our portfolio or contact us.
