York House, Windsor - refurb

York House, Windsor – refurb

Berkshire

York House was a refurbishment of a 1960s, three-storey office block for Windsor Council. The existing façade had to be removed; an additional storey structure added and a new façade installed.

Proximity to Windsor Castle required co-ordinating a 2-hour daily road closure for changing of the guard. Army, police and bomb squad preparations for the Royal Wedding included snipers on York House roof!

WILLMOTT DIXON CONSTRUCTION

A²O were involved with York House over a year before the project start providing design services for the architect’s stage 4/5 design.

Their early engagement and ability to take on all façade elements resulted in a very smooth experience on site.

The A²O managers were real team players, quick to respond to issues and fully embraced Willmott Dixon’s stringent quality delivery systems.

We look forward to working with them again in the near future.

Luke Brindley

Project Manager

Challenges

There was very little design information available: just basic elevations and finishes, but no accurate level or datum information.

Design work would not normally progress beyond Stage 3 without detailed structural information, and start dates did not allow for this.

No combustible insulation was to be used in the façade. A²O were asked to put forward materials to achieve this.

The Architect’s intent was to create features, such as projecting piers, on the façade. However the existing structure was not able to support these.

Due to the town centre location, access, offloading and storage were complicated. No deliveries were permitted between 10.30am and 12.30pm, when the police closed the road for changing of the guard at Windsor Castle.

Solutions

A²O created a 3D REVIT Model with the limited structural data available. Further to demolition of the existing façade, survey data was used to update the model. This allowed for early approval of design concepts and bulk material orders, with adjusts made during the process. A²O drawings were used as Stage 4 design for building control approval.

A²O redesigned the façade with non-combustible rockwool in place of the specified PIR; spandrel panels in the glazing with a rockwool core; rockwool behind the render system and changed to a brick slip system supported by a metal horizontal rail.

A²O engineered a lightweight galvanised steel lattice structure to support the projecting piers, without the need for extra hot-rolled columns or foundations.

The technical and logistical complexity of the project was managed with a good working relationship.