October 2016
Of note in the month was the drawing to a close of H+R’s six year involvement on the huge King’s Cross Basin redevelopment reporting to Argent as the developer and BAM as the contractor. It has been a privilege to witness the complete regeneration of what was until relatively recently, a very run-down and dilapidated part of London. Over the years, H+R have undertaken specialist investigations and consulted on many buildings on the project, the principal ones being:
- Granary Square (Central Saint Martins)
- Coal Drops Yard (a commercial and retail space by Heatherwick Studio – Architects)
- Fish and Coal Offices (Jamie Oliver Group)
- German Gymnasium (D&D Restaurant Group)
- Great Northern Hotel (Tribute Portfolio Hotels)
H+R are regularly asked whether they will undertake specialist investigations on small domestic properties for private clients and the answer is always, yes! Our innovative surveying methodology and philosophy of retention rather than replacement and also avoidance of unnecessary, expensive and inappropriate chemical treatments and proprietary products is applicable to buildings great and small and of any age. To put this domestic-scale work into context, we work on five or six such projects a month all over the UK especially when clients require risk management advice prior to purchase.
H+R contributed another technical article to the soon to be published 2017 Building Conservation Directory. This very useful resource has been published by Cathedral Communications since 1993 and has a wide audience.
H+R have also featured in Classic Alfa Magazine during the month which goes to show our interests extend to the mechanical as well as to the architectural.
Projects of interest in the month include Orleans House Gallery (London Borough of Richmond), 106 Piccadilly (Minerva Education), Twyford Abbey (Twyford Abbey LLP), the Old Archdeaconry in Rochester, Derby Magistrates Court and Little Sodbury Manor.
The recent release of the Heritage at Risk register by Historic England includes several buildings currently involving H+R including Wythenshawe Hall featured in the H+R Northern Offices report in August and also Twyford Abbey.