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Cummins Engine Factory Yarm Road, Darlington The American owned Cummins Engine Company, and its co-owned but independent associate Chrysler Cummins, were attracted to Darlington in the early 1960’s by a Government Industrial Development Programme. The companies built separate factories, each with its own offices and boiler houses, on adjacent sites. Chrysler Cummins of 1963-4, by Fello Atkinson of James Cubitt and Partners, typifies decent British design of the period; but it is rather upstaged by its American-designed neighbour, the Cummins Engine Factory, which is a temple of steel and glass comprising steel H sections built up from a brick stylobate fully exploiting the classical grammar of colonnades, capitals and entablature. This is the first independent work of Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo, former associates of Eero Saarinen. They continued Saarinen’s experiments with structural Neoprene gaskets – a means of fixing glazing derived from the car industry – and the Cummins building is the first in the world to use this system for internal partitions, as well as for external purposes, giving an exceptional totality of design. The delicate glazing pattern is contrasted with the use of a more heavyweight Saarinen material for the structural frame; Cor-ten steel. Cor-Ten steel is rich in manganese and vanadium. Within three years, it oxidises to a tactile rust-brown finish, which is maintenance free. Moreover it is claimed that it will last for 800 years. The sophisticated, sleek building, with a shallow reflective pool and slender chimney sits elegantly in a parkland setting. In line with egalitarian American practice there is no visible distinction between office and factory areas. The whole effect is of a building of a more recent date. Following the merger of the two firms soon after the buildings were completed, there was no point in having two factories. The Cummins Engine Factory was largely vacated in 1989 but has always been at least partly in use, for example as storage. It is still proudly maintained by the staff of the adjacent factory. In 1992 it was listed Grade II*. The building is extensive and open plan and would be suitable for warehouse and industrial use or, perhaps, as retail premises. Problems of heat loss and the great depth of the building would make office use more difficult but by no means impossible. Cummins Engines commissioned a feasibility study from the Turner and Townsend Group, and English Heritage has produced guidelines indicating the sort of alterations to the roof, glazing and interior that may be acceptable. Following a proposal to convert the building into a sports centre, the building was acquired by Highpoint Estates. Planning and listed building consents were granted for the change of use of the eastern end of the factory, formerly the administrative zone, to a call centre. Two years ago Highpoint Estates submitted a planning and listed building consent application for the change of use of the western end of the factory, formerly the manufacturing zone, to a health and fitness centre with some sports retailing. Due to insufficient supporting material to accompany the application, and following negotiation between the local authority and the building owners, the application was withdrawn. A slightly altered application was resubmitted in September 2003 but was again withdrawn due to insufficient supporting material, and the Council are awaiting the next re-submission. Adrian Miller, the conservation officer at Darlington Borough Council, stated that the factory is sited within an employment area, and any leisure or retail use could be resisted. He did accept that council could deviate from this policy as they were keen to establish a suitable use for the building to ensure its practical survival. The future of the Cummins factory is simply in a state of limbo, and one anticipates in gradual decline in terms of maintenance, as the time passes with each new application and subsequent withdrawal. Tim Pitman
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