18 REFURB & RESTORATION
Original patterns of glazing bars and fanlights have been restored, as seen here on number 11, the building least altered over time.
lift in a large steel plate, and the fact that these rods could be held purely with resin, with no need for subsequent bolting.
Existing plaster had to be retained where possible. ‘Westminster Council are taking a more precious line on Georgian plaster,’ Montague said. ‘They don’t want to see it lost. Where it is damaged they want to see a like-for-like replacement.’ One of the biggest problems was convincing the plasterers that they did not have to create perfectly straight walls and sharp corners.
Key to the internal work is a really thorough survey. ‘We do a condition survey and carry out opening up works,’ Montague explained, ‘and we also do a plaster survey and look for anthrax and toxic mould, and we survey for asbestos.’ Equally as important is understanding the structure. ‘Georgian floor structures are remarkable,’ said Montague. ‘they did it as cheaply and simply as possible.’ Beams may run diagonally rather than from front to back. The architect usually created a large double-door opening, communicating opening between the front and rear rooms. Ideally this went centrally, but in some places there were structural posts in the wrong place, so the openings had to be shifted.
Where the beams were distorted , a relatively new flitching technique was used to increase load bearing capacity. Conventionally, flitched beams consist of a steel plate inserted into a groove cut in the beam, and then bolted in place. Achieving the beam profile is quite difficult. At Manchester Square, however, the plate was replaced with a number of steel rods, one above the other, that follow the beam profile, fixed with resin as they were inserted. Advantages included not needing to
All the main rooms have Georgian fireplaces. These have either been restored or replaced with new ones. John Davis of Melluish and Davis restored the Georgian fireplaces. ‘He’s done some wonderful restoration work,’ Montague said. Paint colour throughout is in three carefully defined shades, agreed on after great discussion with Portman and their agents, but which the casual observer would consider all to be off-white.
The mews buildings were in very poor shape, and the architect had to insert a new steel frame behind the existing walls to hold them up. There were then extensive repairs to the brickwork. Inside, the buildings have been opened up into the roof space to create open plan offices on two floors, with a new staircase inserted.
The contract for the work was JCT 98 Private with Quantities, which the Portman Estate uses on all its refurbishments. With an experienced client, an architect with a keen sense of history, and some skilled craftsmen, this refurbishment has been completed in such a way that visitors to the offices may well feel that very little has been done. There is no place for shouty architecture when restoring such handsome buildings. But like the very best make-up, the ‘natural’ effect can be the most difficult to achieve.
CREDITS Client Name
- The Portman Estate Main Consultants - Architect
- Feilden + Mawson - Structure - Furness Partnership - Mechanical
- Mala Engineering - Electrical - Kentec
- QS
- Stace LLP - CDM/Party Wall - Springett Gould Keel Main Contractor - Harry Neal Start Date
- Sept 2006 Completion Date
- Oct 2007 (start of phased completion, running to early 2008)
Value - £4m
Specialist Subcontractors - to include: Brickwork
- Harry Neal Domestic
Steelwork Subcontractor in the Mews Buildings - Warley Structures
Marble Flooring Contractor - Dawson Briggs
Fireplace Restoration
- Melluish and Davis (John Davis) Carpentry
- Harry Neal Domestic Decorators - Steve Townsend
Suppliers and subcontractors Bricks for Repairs and Bricks for New Brickwork
- Harry Neal
Mortar, Plaster - Tilcon Renovating Plaster Steel in Mews, Marble Flooring, Lighting Suppliers - Trilux, Zumtobel, Doppler and Concord
Paint
- Dulux Trade Rooflights
- The Rooflight Company Windows
- Harry Neal Joinery Sub-c Carpets
- Harry Neal Windows in Mews
- Harry Neal Joinery Sub-c Lift in No. 12 - Apollo Lifts Basement Tanking System - Delta
Open-plan office space has been created within the shells of the mews buildings.
Ornate Metalwork - Vic Hayes Plasterwork repairs - Ribbon and Reed
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100