Gilkes Office
Services
Key stats
Project details
Gilkes is a contemporary workplace that carefully blends heritage with innovation. Designed for Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd, the project transformed a collection of Victorian industrial buildings into a flexible headquarters that reflects the company's global reputation while celebrating more than 140 years of engineering history.
Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon has manufactured water pumps and hydroelectric turbines in Kendal since 1881. As the business continued to grow, its historic factory had evolved through numerous extensions, resulting in a complex workplace that no longer reflected the company’s forward-thinking approach or supported modern ways of working. GT3 was commissioned to create a new headquarters that would enhance collaboration, improve staff facilities and reinforce the company’s identity.
The design involved substantial alterations to the existing Victorian buildings alongside a contemporary extension that integrates seamlessly with the historic fabric. New office accommodation, enhanced research and development facilities, a boardroom, welcoming arrival space and shared social areas were introduced to create a flexible and inspiring workplace. Rather than concealing the building’s history, the design celebrates the different layers of its evolution, exposing original architectural features while introducing modern interventions that support the next chapter of the business.
The completed headquarters provides an environment that reflects Gilkes’ position at the forefront of hydro-energy innovation, balancing heritage, functionality and employee wellbeing within a distinctive industrial setting.
Key Deliverables
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Commercial Value
The redevelopment has provided Gilkes with a workplace that supports innovation, collaboration and future business growth while making better use of its existing estate. By adapting and extending the historic factory rather than relocating, the project protects the company’s heritage, enhances operational efficiency and delivers a flexible environment capable of evolving with the business.
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Social Impact
The project demonstrates how historic industrial buildings can be successfully adapted for modern use, preserving local heritage while improving the everyday experience of employees. New collaborative spaces, improved workplace facilities and enhanced research environments support staff wellbeing, encourage innovation and strengthen the company’s long-standing connection with Kendal and its manufacturing community.
