The Glassworks

Location: London

Brick Manufacturer: Ibstock PLC

Brick Names: Capital Brown Multi Stock, Stuart Buff

Architect: HTA Design LLP

Brickwork Contractor: AON Contracts

The Glassworks is the latest addition to the Greenford Quay masterplan, providing 354 build-to-rent homes as part of an 8.23-hectare regeneration of a former industrial site along the Grand Union Canal in Ealing. The broader masterplan will deliver more than 2,100 homes, together with commercial and community spaces, reconnecting the community to the canal through new pedestrian routes, an ecological corridor, and active public spaces.

The original concept design was developed by Hawkins \ Brown, with HTA Design delivering the final scheme using modular construction. Factory-made volumetric homes achieve precise alignment and efficient delivery, while the highly articulated brick façade reinforces the site’s industrial heritage and responds to contemporary needs for durable, adaptable architecture.

The architectural expression of The Glassworks is grounded in the use of clay brick, specified in two principal types: Ibstock Capital Brown Multi Stock and Ibstock Stuart Buff. These are arranged in a rigorous grid of ribbed piers and alternating stack-bonded spandrel panels, creating depth and rhythm across the elevations. Chamfered corners with stepped brick detailing sculpt the massing, establishing refined transitions between façade planes.

Technical innovation in brickwork is expressed through the variation of projection and bonding patterns, enhancing visual depth and shadow play. Stack-bonded panels alternate with vertically expressed corrugated aluminium panels to introduce a secondary order and emphasise a double-height scale. This dual-scale approach reinforces the building’s verticality and sense of permanence, while maintaining a cohesive material palette.

The east-facing and courtyard elevations use simplified brick detailing to respond to the adjacent Glaxo House, employing Ibstock Stuart Buff in a stretcher bond to reduce visual complexity. In contrast, the north, south and west elevations feature deep window reveals framed in PPC aluminium, juxtaposing the tactile brickwork with precise metal components. Integrated metal louvres, glazed balustrades, and profiled aluminium panels establish a consistent technical language throughout.

At ground level, brick piers define entrances, retail, and shared spaces. The careful transition from solid brick to transparent glazing clarifies the structural hierarchy and enhances the public realm interface. Above the brick base, a fourteen-storey tower clad in gold-coloured aluminium forms a distinct vertical element that complements the solidity of the brick plinth.

The modular system supports precise alignment of structural and architectural grids, ensuring consistent detailing and efficient delivery. Brickwork contributes thermal mass and durability, with refined coursing and stepped corners that accommodate thermal and moisture movement for long-term performance. The project uses circular economy principles by reusing all site demolition material. The volumetric construction approach reduces on-site waste by up to 80% and significantly lowers embodied carbon emissions, supported by academic studies. Modular delivery ensures 99% of factory waste is recycled or used for energy recovery, achieving substantial sustainability and operational efficiency gains.

The Glassworks includes diverse apartment types, podium-level gardens, and communal amenities that contribute to high-quality living environments. The robust brick envelope ensures acoustic and thermal comfort while creating a consistent architectural identity. At street level, a new pedestrian bridge and a stone amphitheatre extend the public realm, supporting year-round community activities and reinforcing the site’s connection to the Grand Union Canal.