Issue 48 AUG 25 web - Flipbook - Page 60
and conscientious attention to detail which ASWS
demonstrated throughout.
Mansard hardwood windows
Up at level five, there were 14 very large hardwood
windows, mixing side hung and fixed lights, set into a
mansard structure, whose overhaul required a variety of
interventions. Although some needed new timber
sections spliced into the frames, ASWS also made use of
its “Repaircare” treatment option in which many of its
operatives are now fully trained. All of the hinges and
other hardware was replaced along with any broken
panes; though the unusually low positioning of the
windows compared to internal floors meant all glazing
under 800 mm had to be switched for safety glass.
The Project Manager for McLaren Construction, Simon
McCabe, commented: “Working on a listed building of
this importance means you are not just confronted with
all of the problems from the past, but also those lying in
the present. With regards to the heritage aspects to the
façade and the restoration of the different window types,
it was the Crown Estates representative who attended site
for regular monthly reviews. He was definitely very happy
with the way that the work was conducted and
completed. ASWS, of course, has a lot of experience in
contracts of this size, and I found them grand to work
with. We had no issues whatsoever with the standard of
work carried out: their staff are knowledgeable, detailed
and they know what they are doing. Whatever the
problem, they would come back with workable solutions;
they face the various challenges head on, and we could
just let them get on with it.”
Down at street level, the three large shop fronts facing
onto Oxford Circus qualified for very different treatment,
as the huge plate glass windows were upgraded to safety
laminated glazing and the elegant bronze frames were
painstakingly stripped back to remove their unsightly
green tinted discolouration. The distinctive alloy was
then re-patinated with an accurately matched chemical
coating; visually a halfway house between an authentic
bronze look and the original hue. The metalwork was
then fully protected with a wax coating which will endure
for years.
ASWS offers a full range of survey, repair, replica
replacement and maintenance services for all ages and
types of metal and timber windows. For more information
on ASWS, please visit asws.co.uk.
Historic Domes
While some of the manual handling challenges, such as
the unusually heavy frame sections at level 1 took several
ASWS specialist operatives to reposition, one of the
physically hardest jobs involved restoring the three
shallow height domes which form a feature over the
fourth-floor mezzanine. Not only were they encrusted
with a century of dirt, and out of reach within a confined
roof-space, but even after being deglazed there was
negligible space to work. Kris Bennell continued, saying:
“The roof had suffered leaks, and everything required
thorough cleaning before a lot of welding work was done
over a two-week period where joints had come apart or
new steel sections had to be inserted to stabilise the lattice
grid. There were 148 panes of glass in each of the three
domes, none of which complied with modern safety
standards for overhead glazing, and also the glass had been
given a very variable, sand-blasted finish. It therefore all
had to be replaced using safety glass, with each pane
having to be individually templated by one of our carpenters - climbing in and out of what is a very tight space.
The reinstatement features authentic rebate and edge
details, while each of the circular domes in their 5m x 5m
frames received our Five-Coat treatment.”
Below, pictured is the 214 Oxford Street where ASWS refurbished
the windows and Vans’ London flagship store.
This recently introduced redecoration regime was also
specified for the steel and timber windows across 214
Oxford Street, and involves a primer plus two undercoats,
followed by two top-coats - both inside and out. Though
it does involve a large number of operatives – at times
taking the size of the ASWS site team to around 50 – it
does achieve a unique standard of protection, with the
best possible chance of the paint bonding to the substrate
to offer long term protection. Overall, the quality of
the redecoration reflects the standard of workmanship
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