Morley Soda

Built in 1884 as a manufacturing plant of water, lemonade, essence of peppermint and ginger, Morley Soda Water Factory is one of the few industrial buildings in Old Towne Victoria to survive the boom period of the 1880’s.

Now listed as an historical building, this two-storey structure retained many of its original features, including wooden sash windows, doorways and doors, detailed brick work, and arches on the first storey.

To convert the former factory into residential condominiums meant literally building from the outside in.

Keeping the original exterior brick wall intact, wood-frame interior walls were constructed in place, with building paper applied and a rain-screen cavity built into the assembly to prevent water penetration and damage.

Limited space and mobility in the construction zone also led to challenges with the seismic bracing scheme for the existing walls.Allowing the new wood-frame building to shrink over time, all connections between the new and old, including the connections for seismic bracing, are slotted to allow for movement.