Situated in the heart of Old Southwark at the south end of London Bridge - beside Southwark Cathedral and adjacent to Borough Market - Findlater’s Corner and the London Bridge Island represent one of the most remarkable groups of railway arches in London. Occupying the principal ‘gateway’ into Southwark since the Roman period, this project by Benedict O’Looney Architects restores a set of four Victorian railway arches, bringing them back to life after sitting closed and boarded up for over a decade.
The scheme celebrates the interplay between sensitive historic conservation and bold, vibrant contemporary brickwork, showcasing the immense versatility, durability, and tactile beauty of clay brick.
Layered History on the North Elevation: Stucco, Terracotta, and Glazed Brick
The north side of the site focuses on the careful restoration of the famous Edwardian Beaux-Arts Baroque-Revival glazed terracotta shopfront, which originally overlaid an earlier 1863 Victorian stucco frontage built alongside the original brick viaduct.
Rather than erasing history, the design highlights both historical layers:
- Victorian Heritage: Research into original Victorian paint schemes informed the restoration of the stucco elevation, with its distinctive poster panel mouldings picked out in earth-red tones.
- Edwardian & Interwar Touches: A new oak shopfront references lost Edwardian designs, while glazed brick stall risers gently echo the Doulton’s ceramic facade. Coupled with chequerboard quarry-tiled porches, the ceramic and glazed brick detailing draws deep inspiration from 1910s and 1920s English shopfront design.
Polychrome Expression: A Masterclass in Clay Materiality
Facing Guildable Manor Street and the modern Thameslink viaduct, the south elevation transforms the public realm with a dynamic, modern aesthetic. To brighten and enliven the busy pedestrian route running from Borough Market up to London Bridge Station, Benedict O’Looney Architects specified a striking, multi-tonal facade that draws direct inspiration from the rich Victorian brick heritage of Southwark and Bermondsey.
Masterfully constructed by Built by ITC, the bold, stripy polychrome masonry weaves together a meticulously curated palette of six distinct clay bricks from Ibstock and wienerberger. Soft, textured bands of wienerberger’s 'Forum White' and Ibstock's Colour Select 'London White' cut through the elevation, reflecting ambient street light against the earthy warmth of Ibstock's Colour Select 'Buff'. The historical roots of the arches are grounded by the rich, hand-crafted character of Ibstock's Swanage 'Restoration Red' and the gentle tonal variation of Swanage 'Light', while high-performance Ibstock 'Atlas Blue' Engineering Bricks provide crisp structural definition and deep contrasting shadow lines. Topped with fiery red louvres and complemented by stop-chamfered oak joinery, this energetic interplay of ceramic craft and civil engineering gives Findlater’s Corner an unmistakable visual rhythm.
Project Specifications
- Project Name: Findlater’s Corner / London Bridge Island Restoration
- Location: Old Southwark, London
- Architect/Designer Practice: Benedict O’Looney Architects
- Brickwork Contractor: Built by ITC
- Brick Manufacturers: Ibstock, wienerberger
- Featured Bricks: Ibstock Swanage 'Restoration Red', Ibstock Swanage 'Light', Ibstock Colour Select 'London White' & 'Buff', Ibstock 'Atlas Blue' Engineering, wienerberger 'Forum White'
Brick Bulletin | Feature 305
