Refurb & Restore Issue 28 2022 | Page 18

Working with replacement Portland Stone from the same seam originally used for the original 1920s construction . Fittingly , their work evoked the mastery of Lasenby Liberty and his contracting team Higgs & Hill .
DBR ’ s joiners also had their work cut out with the façade ’ s exposed teak timbers . Teak is not a viable , sustainable repair material so they had to use English Oak , with a hand hewn face to splice-repair rotten sections of hardwood , a task requiring a huge amount of delicacy and deftness .
NEW LIGHT THROUGH OLD WINDOWS
One of the standout operations on the project was the complete conservation and refurbishment of the 1,500 leaded lights and metal-framed windows across all four of the stone ’ s facades .
The complex work required the removal of the windows and frames , with temporary lightboxes installed to ensure shoppers were afforded illumination .
The leaded lights were then separated from the steel frames and casements , with conservation work carried out by Holy Well Glass ( leaded lights ) and Arts Heritage ( Steel ).
Other fine examples of DBR ’ s high levels of craftsmanship include the conservation repair of the Mayflower weathervane , the internal decorative plaster panels to one of the atriums and the repair and renewal of the roof gullies , lead flashings , decorative downpipes and hoppers .
One of the standout operations on the project was the complete conservation and refurbishment of the 1,500 leaded lights and metal-framed windows across all four of the stone ’ s facades .
DBRs team also completely overhauled and redesigned the large glazed roofs over the 3nr atriums within the Liberty store improving internal light levels and at the same time reducing solar gain .
EXTERNAL FACTORS
The pandemic posed a problem for the whole construction sector , with new restrictions and protocols to follow , to ensure maximum worker safety .
The Liberty project was no exception , with short-term and long-term measures implemented to ensure people ’ s wellbeing and minimum workflow disruption .
The DBR procurement team responded quickly by ensuring enough stock of PPE and disinfecting materials were immediately available across all operations . The site management team constantly monitored the cleanliness of the site , ensuring social distancing guidelines were maintained to provide maximum protection to the project workforce .
These measures , quickly introduced , ensured seamless and smooth delivery of services , meeting deadlines ahead of the scheduled early 2022 completion date .
Commenting on the project , DBR Executive Director , Adrian Attwood , says , “ Liberty has been a unique project to be involved in and provided an exceptional opportunity to showcase the breadth of skill and levels of craftsmanship which abound across our company . Not only did the team rise to the myriad complex and fascinating challenges this site possessed , I also want to applaud their resilience and ability to adapt to a set of unusual and unforeseen circumstances .”
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