Financial Times Sees Value In Bracken House

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The Financial Times has returned to an extensively refurbished and modernised building which it occupied up until the early eighties with polishing and painting original bronze ironmongery a major feature.

Steel Window Association member Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) also completed window repairs and sourcing special replacement lock mechanisms at the building in the City of London near St Pauls Cathedral.

John Robertson Architects was the practice involved in bringing New Bracken House back to life. The firm is highly experienced in heritage work.

ASWS was called in to carry out a pre-contract assessment of the fenestration’s condition.

The project, completed last year, has created 270,000sq.ft of top grade office space, with all new M&E services and a remodelled roof featuring a running track. 

Subcontracted

Having been awarded a subcontract by McLaren, ASWS began with the service and overhaul of 240 metal windows - replacing some individual 1,500 pieces or ironmongery.  This included designing and manufacturing bespoke bracketry for windows fitted with duplex rods.

 “After being brought on board to help devise a specification for the ironmongery’s restoration, we were then awarded the contract for the work which presented a lot of technical challenges.”

– Katrina Howard 

Manager, ASWS

"These included designing new brassware to fit around quite widely varying handle plates and inserting new beads to conceal gaps in the old ones," continues Howard. "We also had to source 84 new locking mechanisms – which we found in Sweden - to fit within the aluminium doors around the atrium.  We even refurbished brassware in the retained façade, around the famous astronomical clock.”

The Senior Projects Manager for McLaren Construction, Joe Garcia, says: “ASWS showed good skills in the way its personnel carried out the repairs to the various window and door types across a large and complex site, while also being responsive to challenges which came up during the contract, such as sourcing or designing replacement ironmongery where needed.”

Steel Window Association

Members of the Steel Window Association offer a UK wide service for the repair and replacement of various types of old metal windows, doors and screens, as well as being able to manufacture new fenestration which fully meets the requirements of the Building Regulations.

Picture: The FT's refurbished Bracken House.

www.steel-window-association.co.uk

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
10th May 2020

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