Plot 4, Silverthorne Lane
St Phillips, Bristol
Client
Location
Status
Role
St Vincent’s Works Ltd.
St Philips, Bristol
Stage 3
Architect, Principal Designer, Feasibility
Plot 4 at Silverthorne Lane represents the sensitive transformation of Bristol’s historic Erecting Sheds into over 8,000m² of vibrant, contemporary office space. This Grade II listed redevelopment reinstates the original single-volume form of the 19th-century industrial buildings while integrating a bold, modern intervention. The scheme enhances historic character through careful restoration, creates a new public “Heritage Walk” that reconnects the site to its urban context, and significantly increases employment capacity.
Set within the wider Silverthorne Lane masterplan and adjacent to the Grade II* listed St Vincent’s Works, the proposal has been shaped by close collaboration with heritage stakeholders and responds to modern sustainability, accessibility, and workspace demands. With increased floorplate efficiency, heritage-led design, and a commitment to preserving and celebrating the area’s industrial legacy, Plot 4 delivers a future-ready commercial environment grounded in its historic past
The Brief
StudioHIVE Architects were asked to design a contemporary new office building carved out of the semi-derelict existing Listed structures that were subject to a devastating fire over 20 years ago. The buildings sits within the Silverthorne Lane development site which extends to almost 12-acres in the heart of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, Bristol.
Our Approach
Developing on the approved outline application, our work has resulted in a new approach which seeks to re-establish the erecting sheds as a single form and volume with a continuous roofline, reflecting the original form. This will include the insetting of a new building within the heritage fabric structure that will “pop up” over the central stone gable. The new approach will improve public permeability through the site, pulling the new building away from the historic western façade to create a new Heritage walkway route. This will improve pedestrian movement between Silverthorne Lane and the proposed new canalside community at the Iron Works (Plots 2 & 3).
The design revisions will deliver a much more efficient employment space, both in terms of function and sustainability. The new commercial space will align with the latest British Council for Offices (BCO) guidelines, and deliver a healthy and sustainable working environment with the aim to achieve a Net Zero Carbon building that is designed to BREEAM “Excellent”, Fitwell and ActiveScore standards.
The Result
The revised scheme successfully delivers on the client’s brief, responding to market demands while unlocking key design and operational improvements. It achieves a 38% increase in net internal area and a 9% uplift in efficiency, with open, flexible floorplates and a simplified layout built around a single core and arrival point. The design meets BCO standards with rationalised floor-to-floor heights and supports a wide range of letting options - from whole building to half-floor tenancies. End-of-journey facilities, daylight access, and facilities management have all been enhanced, along with improved substation integration and stronger visual identity. Above all, the scheme brings clear heritage benefits by restoring the sheds’ original form and re-engaging the public with their historic context.
