The Argent Centre

Title: The Argent Centre

Built in: 1863

Location: 60 Frederick Street, Birmingham B1 3HS

Short intro: Grade II listed factory, now home to modern growing businesses and the Pen museum

Description: Despite its solid appearance, the Argent Centre (originally the Albert works) is full of narrow workshops just five metres wide, surrounding an open courtyard. This was common in the nineteenth century, as it allowed natural light to reach the workbenches in each workshop. The whole building is constructed from brick - even the floors - which made it fireproof and entirely safe for industrial use. The steam from the engines in each workshop was funnelled to warm the waters of a Turkish bath at the north of the building: where visitors could also enjoy chess, fencing and billiards. Now, the Argent Centre houses newly developing businesses, as well as the Pen Museum, the only museum of its kind in the United Kingdom.