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Admiralty Arch is a landmark building in London providing road and pedestrian access between The Mall to the South West and Trafalgar Square to the North East.
Designed by Aston Webb, the now Grade I listed building was originally commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of his mother Queen Victoria. In the past, it served as a residence of the First Sea Lord, and until 2011 was used to house government offices.
In 2012, Admiralty Arch was sold by the government on a 125-year lease for £60 million for a proposed redevelopment into a Waldorf Astoria luxury hotel and four apartments.
The project
TRC were appointed to repair, refurbish and upgrade the timber windows to this Grade I listed building, and to supply equivalent replacement windows and doors where restoration of the original was not reasonable.
This window refurbishment project involved several steps: cleaning the windows, removing any broken glass or unnecessary materials, and fixing the frames and sashes. Any missing or broken glass was replaced with approved matching glass alternative. Sashes were then repaired or adjusted to ensure they open and close properly. The overhaul was then completed with the installation of the Draftfix draught exclusion system and fully decorated to match the existing paint colour.
Timber repairs were carried out using TRC’s long practice proven RepairCare methods in combination with a modern timber splicing technique and bespoke timber parts replacement made of resembling timber species and aiming for minimal removal of original material.
Improved resistance to decay of timber on the windows in future was achieved by use of Conservation Joints and replacement of old weathered putty with a modern putty alternative.
Finally, all bare timber repair surfaces were made ready and primed using more environment-friendly, water-based, dual-purpose Dulux Wood Primer.
Any window ironmongery items, including high level sash opening pulleys, were carefully removed, and any ironmongery found to be defective and beyond repair was replaced with suitable alternatives, with finishes and base material of replacement ironmongery matched as originals.
Admiralty Arch is a Grade I listed structure, so the refurbishment had to be carried out in a sensitive manner. The original windows contained lead in both the paint and substrate, and therefore required a coordinated approach which involved TRC’s dedicated health and safety advisor who formulated a site-specific risk and method statement along with additional training for operatives.
Employing highly skilled labour and expert management, TRC used a variety of techniques to minimise the impact of the refurbishment on the building’s historic fabric, while working closely with both the client and contractor to ensure the required standards were met.
Upgrading the windows on this building will make it look better, use energy more efficiently, and be easier to use, all while staying true to its original design. This project is an important step in making the UK’s historic buildings more sustainable and environmentally friendly, while also keeping them on schedule and affordable.
