CAMPUS WORKS
Two other major projects on the Barry Buildings have occupied our attention this year: the external refurbishment and repair of terracotta and the internal refurbishment of 50 classrooms and teaching staff offices on five floors of North and South Blocks. External Work on the outside of the Barry Buildings commenced in January and will be complete by February 2018. These extensive works resulted in the entirety of the Barry Buildings being shrouded in scaffolding while replacement terracotta blocks, finials, cupolas, pinnacles and lattice balustrades were formed by hand in a Loughborough factory for subsequent installation, and the cleaning and restoration of brickwork and pointing was undertaken. It became clear early on how fragile were the decorative facades of the Centre Block and how timely the works that had been put in hand. Almost 100% of the balustrades, more than 50% of the decorative finials and pinnacles and 20% of other terracotta blocks have had to be replaced, with three different colour variations to match the existing, whilst the deeply-embedded grime of a century of London’s unclean air has been removed from the Centre Block. This cleaning has not been simply cosmetic but has achieved proper repair and replacement of pointing and failed brickwork to ensure the weather-proofing of the building.
stonemasons’ work and corner- cutting by the nineteenth century contractor have been revealed and rectified, with the result that we have actually improved on the resilience and quality of Barry’s original. Inevitably, discoveries have been made as the project has progressed, which have had to be rectified at additional cost, but we are confident that once the works are complete, we will have a building that with proper maintenance will last for at least the next 150 years. The Lantern has been discovered to be in very poor condition and extensive repairs are due, resulting in scaffolding remaining around a small portion of the Centre Block and the Lantern until at least April 2018 while repairs are delivered. The rest of the scaffolding has now either been struck or will be by February and the glory of Barry’s original design is showing through, with its delightful honey-coloured stonework glowing in the winter sunlight. As with all old buildings, however, restoration work is never fully complete and there will be additional projects for future generations to deliver.
Simon Yiend - Chief Operating Officer The focus of the year has been on three major projects, whilst delivering a ongoing programme of improvement of facilities and looking ahead at plans for the landscape and car parking on the main campus. The Orchard and Old Blew Link, connecting the two boarding houses and adding a Common Room sufficient for all 55 boarders, was completed at the end of the summer holidays in time for the boarders’ return.
A simple but highly effective single- storey design, it has transformed the boarding experience in these houses, brought far greater cohesion and created a new and impressive location for the boarding community on the north side of the South Circular, joining together not only the buildings but also the beautiful gardens into one cohesive whole.
Barry Buildings
In carrying out these repairs, deficiencies in the original
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