The Fusion Building – Jackfield

THE FUSION BUILDING – Creative Workspace within Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site
New Build in World Heritage Context | Creative Industries Hub | Heritage Lottery Fund Project

The Artisans at FUSION building was constructed in 2006 and opened in May 2007 on the footprint of a former non-ferrous metal foundry, from which the name ‘FUSION’ originates. Located adjacent to the Ironbridge Gorge Tile Museum, the building sits within the internationally significant Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Advantage West Midlands, Shropshire Partnership, the European Regional Development Fund, and many individual supporters, the project represents a major investment in the region’s creative and cultural economy.

Given the strict controls on new development within the World Heritage Site, the building received special permission to be constructed as a dedicated centre for creative artisans, providing spaces for making, designing, teaching and inspiring through a range of craft-led courses and workshops. The design reflects both the industrial heritage of the site and the contemporary needs of the creative sector.

The result is a distinctive, purpose-built facility that supports ongoing skills development, artistic enterprise and cultural engagement within one of the UK’s most important heritage landscapes.