Conservation & Heritage Issue 49 October 2025 - Flipbook - Page 8
Albemarle Street Terr acotta
Façade Restor ation
The restoration of No.1 Albemarle Street in Piccadilly is one of the UK’s largest terracotta
projects in recent years. Following the erection of a crash deck in 2022 due to concerns about
the façade’s poor condition, a full programme of conservation was launched in 2024. Led by
Principal Contractor and façade specialists Restore London Ltd, the project has returned this
Grade II listed building to its former splendour and safeguarded another important heritage
asset for the future.
A Street With a Rich Past
Albemarle Street, London’s first one-way street, has been
a place of prestige since the 17th century. The corner
site at Piccadilly is occupied by Albemarle House, an Art
Deco landmark originally constructed in 1887. Its ornate
terracotta façades had suffered decades of inappropriate
cleaning methods and cement-based repairs, resulting in
widespread delamination, the loss of ornate features and
an uneven patchwork appearance. Urgent intervention was
required to stabilise and preserve the building.
replacements were expertly designed, drawn and
manufactured to match the original fabric precisely.
Terracotta production remains a highly specialised craft,
with only a handful of UK suppliers. Partnering with
Hathern Terra Cotta™ MBH Plc, the team coordinated
an ambitious manufacturing and installation programme,
aligning limited production slots with the project’s
tight sequencing. Deliveries were scheduled to suit the
constraints of central London logistics, while the scaffold
strike sequence demanded precise planning to avoid delays.
Complex Access & Scaffold Design
The busy Piccadilly location, with live retail units at
ground floor level and occupied offices above, presented
major challenges for both scaffold design and the wider
scheme. Working with engineers AKSWard and Another
Level Scaffolding Ltd, Restore London developed a
bespoke anchoring system that avoided the need for backpropping in occupied retail basements. Thorough testing,
including pull-out and shear tests on the Excalibur tie
bolts system, ensured compliance with BSEN 12811-1
standards and allowed work to proceed safely in a
constrained environment.
Craftsmanship & Structural Repairs
The building’s three ornate chimney stacks were a
particular focus. One was found to be structurally unsound
and required complete dismantling and rebuilding. Where
possible, original materials were salvaged for reuse, with
new blocks manufactured to complete the reconstruction.
The rebuilt stack now crowns the building, a testament to
the skills of our heritage craftsmen.
Other features, including decorative dormer pediments,
were renewed to match existing profiles, demonstrating
both technical precision and aesthetic sensitivity.
Façade Restoration & Terracotta Manufacture
The project began with sympathetic façade cleaning,
followed by detailed surveys to assess condition. These
identified over 1,200 blocks for replacement and more
than 2,000 stabilising repairs. Where required, bespoke
Outcome & Next Phase
In just eleven months, the façade has been transformed.
The project was recognised as ‘Excellent’ by the
Considerate Constructors Scheme, a reflection of careful
tenant liaison, noise control, and logistics management in a
fully occupied building.
Below, Picture of No.1 Albemarle Street
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