Argent Centre

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Building
Argent Centre
Argent Centre
Type	Offices
Location	Birmingham, England
Coordinates	52°29′3.91″N 1°54′42.10″W / 52.4844194, -1.9116944Coordinates: 52°29′3.91″N 1°54′42.10″W / 52.4844194, -1.9116944
Construction
Completed	1863
Floor Count	4
Design Team
Architect	J. G. Bland
Awards and Prizes	Grade II* listed building

The Grade II* listed Argent Centre (grid reference SP060873) is on the corner of Frederick Street and Legge Road in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, England.

Designed by J. G. Bland for W. E. Wiley, a pen manufacturer, it was built in 1863, and acquired the name Albert Works, possibly because it was opposite the Victoria Works of Joseph Gillott.

Despite the appearance of being a huge, solid building, it consists of long, narrow, multi-storey workshops only 16 feet wide, surrounding an open courtyard. This was a common arrangement at the time allowing natural light to reach workbenches from two sides. With floors constructed of hollow bricks tied with wrought iron it was fireproof, removing the need for insurance. The multicoloured brickwork decorates a design reminiscent of renaissance Florence. Recycled steam from the works engines went to a Turkish bath in the northern end of the building. Now flat-roofed, it originally had pyramids on each corner tower. A bomb dropped into the court yard at some time during WWII and the bent window frames were visible at least till the mid-1980s.

It was home to Griffin & George, scientific equipment supplier to schools and universities, as well as Gallenkamp, laboratory equipment suppliers, part of the Fisons Scientific Equipment Division until their move to London in 1983/4. The technical staff, sales and marketing personnel, draughtsmen and prototype engineers were housed there. It was converted to offices in 1993.

[edit] References

The Jewellery Quarter – History and Guide, Marie Elizabeth Haddleton, 1987, ISBN 0-9513108-0-1
Pevsner Architectural Guides - Birmingham, Andy Foster, 2005, ISBN 0-300-10731-5
The Birmingham Jewellery Quarter - An Architectural Survey of the Manufactories, John Cattell, Sheila Ely, Barry Jones, English Heritage, 2002, ISBN 1-873592-48-5
Images of England - photograph and details from listed building text

v • d • e Buildings in Birmingham, England

Highrise (in height order):	BT Tower • 10 Holloway Circus • Chamberlain Clock Tower • Alpha Tower • Orion Building • The Rotunda • 103 Colmore Row • Five Ways Tower • Centre City Tower • 1 Snow Hill Plaza • Quayside Tower • Colmore Gate • The McLaren Building • Metropolitan House • Edgbaston House • Post & Mail Building • Jury's Inn Birmingham

Notable lowrise:	1-7 Constitution Hill • 17 & 19 Newhall Street • Birmingham Assay Office • Baskerville House • Central Library • Council House • Curzon Street railway station • Great Western Arcade • ICC • The Mailbox • Methodist Central Hall • Millennium Point • NIA • The Old Crown • Paradise Forum • Birmingham Proof House • Sarehole Mill • Symphony Hall • Town Hall • Victoria Law Courts

Major railway stations:	Moor Street station • New Street station • Snow Hill station

Major complexes:	Brindleyplace • Bull Ring, Birmingham • Pallasades Shopping Centre

Sports venues:	Alexander Stadium • Edgbaston Cricket Ground • St. Andrews • Villa Park

List of tallest buildings and structures in Birmingham • List of Birmingham board schools • Listed buildings in Birmingham