The Pattern Shop

The Pattern Shop is the renovation and refurbishment of a Grade II Listed building central to the 19th century industrial site that marks the birth of railway under George and Robert Stephenson. Buckland were approached to create a two-storey feature glulam frame to create office space within a key space in this historic building.

A 9m high locomotive assembly hall with a central row of cast iron columns with brackets that would have held gantry crane rails, marks it as a very early production line space.  Now known as The Engine Hall, a new two storey high (three levels) glulam mezzanine structure has been inserted across half the floor area to provide additional floor space.  The huge installation stands independently from the historic brick walls and characterful cast iron columns and is careful in its design not to crowd out the original grand volume of this part of the building.

The spruce glulam frame is oversized to allow a charring ratio for fire rating and the natural wood colour and warmth has been left to contrast effectively against the Georgian brick and stonework, the cast iron and steel.

All fixings are hidden to project a uniformity in tone and appear furniture-like, a platform lift rises at its centre ensuring access to all floors and a bridge link at each level provides access to a fire escape through the side of the building.

Brought back from the brink of dereliction during a two-year construction period, the building will be used as offices for innovative businesses of today.