Left: Original cast iron rings running around the bottle kilns helped deal with expansion and contraction due to temperature differentials Below left: The steel structural grid encloses each kiln to ensure they are not taking any loads other than their own Below: Sourcing replacement bricks meant scouring reclaim and salvage yards
structure, which had a grid of roughly 4m, bearing off the irregularly placed bottle kilns. “Corrosion was endemic,” says David Dobson, project director for CoRE at Stoke-on-Trent City Council. “When we started shotblasting the steelwork to clean it, some literally disintegrated before our eyes. But where we could, the decision was always to strengthen the existing steel with new flange and web pieces rather then replace them.” The first floor of the factory comprised 1930s precast concrete slabs whose reinforcement was heavily corroded, which were either treated and refaced or
“ When we started shotblasting the steelwork to clean it, some literally disintegrated before our eyes.” David Dobson, Stoke-on-Trent City Council
replaced. But to make the building more sustainable, they had to be less forgiving with the ground slab, which was jack- hammered out. “We had to cast a new slab at a lower level, adding in a layer of rigid insulation, under floor heating pipe runs and then a screed layer — its u-value has improved immensely,” says Dobson. Refurbishing the brick elevations was also a big task. To cope with the increased loading bearing requirements, all the brick walls were underpinned along their length using injected polymer grout to stabilise the soil beneath. Concern for heritage and authenticity meant they had to go the extra mile. “We spent a lot of time sourcing the right type of replacement bricks from reclaim salvage works, and then learning to work with lime mortars — a skill seldom seen now,” says Dobson. In probably the most dramatic move, the American Hotel was dismantled brick by brick, re-sited and faithfully rebuilt to allow the construction of the new Hub building on its site. Replacement Imperial-sized bricks were painstakingly sourced, as were its sandstone lintels and mullions and bosses, including hand- carved curved lintels at the entrance. Its days as a drinking hole over, it will now form part of the impressive and spacious demonstrators zone. CoRE’s Jonathan Davis says the local
community has been fascinated by the works to the bottle kilns, which for more than two centuries shaped the skyline of part of the city. Dobson adds: “It’s a credit to everyone involved. This project has achieved so much so well, since it was first announced in January 2010. Not only is it bang on time for the Green Deal, as a building, it’s bang on the money.” CM
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