Issue 48 AUG 25 web - Flipbook - Page 58
ASWS triumphs in
Oxford Circus contract
Best known in recent decades as Topshop’s flagship store,
214 Oxford Steet has undergone a two-year refurbishment and restoration project that not only extends its
working life as Ikea’s new London headquarters, but that
also fully respects the building’s Grade II listing, with its
unusually broad mix of window types which extend from
street level bronze shopfronts to a trio of large circular
steel rooflights set above a fourth floor mezzanine. It has
undoubtedly been an undertaking that London based
Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) was able
to successfully complete thanks to its long experience of
working on heritage buildings, and the unrivalled array of
trade skills in its armoury.
The leading member of the Steel Window Association
had previously worked alongside the main contractor,
McLaren Construction on New Bracken House and was
tasked by Avison Young, the client’s representative, to
conduct a full condition survey in the winter of 2022. The
resulting appraisal document duly formed an important
part of the contract documents, for a property whose
Grade II listing and colourful history proved as big a
factor in the programme as the level of water damage
discovered, and the need to work around existing tenants:
primarily Nike.
Owned by the Crown Estates, the new flagship store for
the Swedish furniture chain is one of the four Quadrant
buildings designed by Sir Henry Tanner, the Principal
Surveyor of the then London Office of Works, which were
built between 1913 and 1928. While the four buildings’
architecture drew on classical French styling, the distinctive Portland stone cladding conceals extensive structural
steelwork, as well as a century of alterations and wartime
bomb damage. Unfortunately, the famous frontages also
enclosed multiple lead rainwater downpipes, some of
which had been leaking for many years, if not decades.
The Operations Director for ASWS, Kris Bennell,
reflected: “We had originally been able to do an extensive
internal survey, augmented by viewing from street level
with binoculars, but this was subsequently supported by
close inspection when scaffolding eventually went up in
early summer 2023. Then, everything we had highlighted
in the original survey as requiring further investigation,
did indeed reveal serious issues. This included the
tell-tale signs where glass had broken, that water has been
sitting in the bottom rail. This was the case where leaks
from the old lead pipes had saturated the stonework, and
also where the leadwork on the very wide windowsills had
been unsuccessfully asphalted over.”
Façade Steel Windows
The total of 342 steel windows included many original
Medium Universal as well as the early galvanised steel
section windows installed after WW2 though these had
offered little more protection against corrosion. As a
result, some 90 steel frames were removed to the ASWS
workshops for shot blasting and repair. Those that were
demounted also included the unusually shaped and very
heavy ‘Lollipop’ lights which run right around the building
at first floor level which were refurbished to a high level.
The remaining windows were all serviced and overhauled
then decorated in situ.
Below, pictured is 214 Oxford Street where Associated
Steel Window Services (ASWS) refurbished all
of the windows and is now the new Ikea store in
Central London.
