Documents

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• Type

  Map

  Title

  Map for Ice Factor (Carbon Factory Silos to Former Kinlochleven Aluminium Works), Kinlochleven (LB12926)

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600002176)

Summary

Description

P W Meik, (Thomas Meik and Sons) chief engineer, Alfred H Roberts, resident engineer, Sir W Murray Morrison, manager and technical advisor, Sir John Jackson Ltd, principal contractor. 1904-9. Tall rubble-built ranges, including early re-inforced concrete silos, forming one side of the carbon factory which was largely demolished in 1989.

The small silo (NN 18829 61952) is a 5-bay gabled block with a buttressed northwest elevation. There are 5 small ground floor windows, and 2 first floor narrow round-headed windows over concrete diamond features. The northeast and southeast elevations of the building are plain, and formerly adjoined the factory (now demolished) and was linked to it by twin arches. There is metal sheet cladding to the northeast gable.

There is a slate roof with a curved ridge ventilator and a flat-roofed single storey block to the southwest re-entrant angle, with a large opening and door. There is a linking 2-bay screen wall adjoin the main silo block, with reinforced concrete buttresses and a lintel course.

The main silo block (NN 18834 61915) has 7 buttressed bays to the southwest elevation with tall round-headed openings to reveal concrete wall of the silo at the first floor.

The northwest gable of the main silo block (the entrance elevation) has a stepped up inverted mansard roof to cap-house and a wide basket arched opening at attic level which was formerly broached by a conyeyor from an adjoining small single storey block that fed silos (demolished in 1989, it had curved corners and piended slate roof). The wall is whitewashed where this block adjoined.

The northeast elevation of the main silo block is 7-bays with an exposed trabeated reinforced concrete frame and a flat reinforced concrete roof which wraps around to the southeast gable elevation. The elevation is entirely glazed up to the flat roof to the northeast, and the glazing dates to the 1990s.

Statement of Special Interest

The former Kinlochleven Aluminium Works silos, known as the 'Ice Factor' (2016), are some of the last remaining buildings of this former carbon factory, along with the former smelter and powerhouse (see separate listing). The aluminium works was one of the largest in the world at the time however due to changes in demand, outdated Soderbergh technology and economies of scale the smelter was closed in 2000, resulting in the removal of many of the structures.

The architectural treatment of the former silo buildings in a plain classical style is an early example of a more functional design ethic being developed for industrial buildings. This plain classical yet modern design was influential on the later stylistic development of buildings for hydropower. The fusion of plain classical and purely functional elements represented the modern and dynamic perception of the industry at this time.

"It is from this carbon factory that there exudes the dense yellowish smoke that has provoked so much criticism of the village" (Gregor and Chisholm). The bulk of the carbon factory was demolished in late 1989. The silos are recognised as an early reinforced concrete structure remarkable for its combination of steel girder and concrete roof.

Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2016. Previously listed as 'Kinlochleven Aluminium Works, Carbon Factory and Silos'.

References

Bibliography

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