Issue 48 AUG 25 web - Flipbook - Page 8
pieces in place. Once the temporary props were in place
and red and grey steel straps installed to prevent the cornice from overturning, the oversized cornice pieces could
be safely removed. The cornice weighs approximately 1.4
tonnes per linear metre with the longest cornice piece
measuring 2.1 metres and weighing 3 tonnes. In total 79
cornice pieces were removed. These were taken off site
to be repaired and restored while the new façade works
were installed. All the existing cornice pieces had their
depth reduced by 200mm to facilitate the new structure
and cavity. All of the cornice pieces were salvaged, doff
cleaned and repaired, but there were not enough cornice
pieces to complete the architect’s intent for the new
façade so 12 new pieces had to be cut. The 200mm off
cuts from the original stonework were repurposed for
another project outside London and used to construct a
pair of grand gateposts.
Above, Lucent W1, façade dismantling
Increasingly, there is a requirement, not just for
dismantling and reinstalling façades or part of, but for
repurposing stone across both externals and internals.
Examples include the removal of stone from areas of
facades to facilitate new openings, doors, windows or
passageways and the reuse of this masonry on other areas
of the façade, such as window lintels. Szerelmey is currently undertaking works like this as part of different packages on 17 Columbus Court and 100 New Bridge Street.
50 Berkeley Street was designed in the 1920s with a
number of subsequent extensions and modifications
made. Most recently Stiff & Trevillion Architects have
completed an extensive and sympathetic redevelopment
of the building to improve the internal and external space,
with sustainability at its heart. A key element was the
removal and reinstatement of the existing grand cornice.
The first challenge was to understand how the cornice
was supported and restrained when originally built.
Temporary works were designed that allowed removal of
the existing rusted beam that was holding the cornice
Another approach is to remove areas of external cladding
to allow for modification and repurposing of the stone
internally in feature walls. This process has recently been
completed at 50 Finsbury Square, where Jura Limestone
that was failing on the exterior of the building was
removed, cut down in size, dry laid and reinstalled to a
bespoke framing system to form a reception area feature
wall. A similar process has been completed at the IBM
building on Southbank. Large panels of precast concrete
were salvaged from the exterior of this Brutalist masterpiece and repurposed to create a striking feature wall in
Above, 50 Berkeley Street, before works began
Above, 50 Berkeley Street, after works completed
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