East Ham Technical College 

Situated in the London Borough of Newham, East Ham Technical College was reopened in September 2014 and is now home to over 500 students. The elegant Victorian building was originally built in 1905 and is now a Grade II listed building.

Rick Mather Architects retained many of the existing features of the original building whilst the new modern additions seek to complement and highlight these, whilst ensuring functionality for users. Extensive areas of glazed tiles and bricks have been repaired and uncovered to restore the original diverse materiality of the building. Though the south and east elevations utilised alternative materials, they maintain the red brick and terracotta aesthetic of the more elaborate north and west facades.

The ironmongery package presented a challenge for Allgood. The high usage of the building meant the ironmongery would need to be highly functional but it was essential that the aesthetics matched the interior design of the building.

Whilst many of the classrooms have been modernised, the interior designer elected to match the ironmongery to the more classic themes of the building. A co-ordinated antique brass finish was applied to knob handles, numerals, hinges and door closers on each of the wooden, white painted doors.

In the bathroom areas, where some of the original decor was not retained, a more conventional stainless steel finish was utilised to cubicle locks and WC turns.