PROJECT
BACK TO THE FUTURE BrysonHouse BELFAST
RESTRICTED ACCESS AND A RIVERSIDE SITE CALLED FOR A STRATEGIC APPROACH AND A HIGHLY SKILLED TEAM...
W hen Bryson Charitable Group needed to reconfigure and refurbish their ageing office accommodation at Bryson House, Belfast they looked for a partner that could deliver a first-rate project in a tight timeframe and one with the expertise to tackle challenging site conditions. They found all those qualities and more in Killowen Contracts. Works on the £1.2m project included complete strip out and alteration of the existing three-storey building and reconfiguration to provide multi-use space including meeting areas, open plan offices and sports facilities for the client. The central stairwell was relocated, a new passenger lift installed along with complete fit out of the building internally including internal partitions, ceilings and
internal glazed screens and folding partitions. Andrew Knapton, Director Killowen Contracts says, “There were also some structural repairs required to strengthen the existing building fabric in the century-old building. The timber columns in the basement had become rotten following regular flooding from the rising water levels in the River Lagan. The columns were replaced sequentially with new steel columns during the programme. Additional steel bracing was fitted to the existing structure to improve stability of the building and prevent any further movement.” A section of the roof was in disrepair and replaced with new slates and flashings and existing windows were
removed and new aluminium windows and doors installed. Sections of the external brickwork were damaged and in poor condition, while other sections of the brick façade had been previously replaced with products not matching the original. “We were able to source a brick to match the original construction and our highly skilled craftsmen rebuilt all the sections complete to match. The complete façade was then repointed,” says Andrew. CHALLENGES The building is located off the Ravenhill Road with a small private parking area to the front, enclosed on all sides with restricted access. The surrounding buildings were occupied throughout the contract with commercial and
“Director-level supervision delivering a personal pride in the finishedproduct.”
44 | NI BUILDER
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