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Richard Stocking
Regional Director, London, UK contact form
When it comes to conserving our built heritage the old saying ‘If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right’ certainly comes to mind. It encapsulates the need to take sufficient time to understand a problem fully before committing to the most effective solution.
And this was the key to our approach when we were appointed by Chichester Festival Theatre (CFT). CFT were facing ongoing problems with deteriorating and failing concrete with complex conservation challenges. CFT is a Grade II* listed building and one of the five most important modernist theatres in England. It opened in 1962 and features a distinctive hexagonal concrete shell. However, a £22m restoration and upgrade program carried out between 2012 and 2014 had resulted in failed concrete repairs. Worse – the theatre’s facade was covered in a protective netting that spoiled the overall look of this important building.
AtkinsRéalis were recommended to CFT by Historic England after we had successfully restored the Grade II* listed Congress Theatre in Eastbourne. We were appointed by CFT in 2016 to undertake a wide-reaching study of available repair techniques and approaches. There were two key challenges. First, we needed to ensure our solution would not fail. Second, it was essential that the new repair should match the original concrete in situ as closely as possible. The overall modernist aesthetic of the theatre had to be maintained.
The repair area was the largest of its type ever to be undertaken using conservation techniques in the UK. Our conservation philosophy focused on a thorough understanding of this historic building and, importantly, we recommended using ‘like for like’ materials. This would mean the concrete used for the repair matched both the look and composition of the original.
Extensive trials and experimentation lasting 10 months were undertaken in conjunction with Price & Myers (Structural Engineers) and Triton Building Conservation to simulate site working conditions. We researched the original specification and aggregate mix and even contacted the people who built the theatre in the 1960s. These painstaking trials proved invaluable as the repairs were managed on site without issue.
The successful repair has helped to reinstate the original intended appearance of the main entrance to the theatre. Much of the project’s success was due to the incredible partnership developed between client, consultants and specialist contractor. We also involved Historic England and the 20th Century Society from the start.
The trials we carried out had positive ramifications not just for CFT but also in terms of advancing concrete conservation techniques. Tests undertaken a year after installation showed that the newly cast concrete is well bonded and performing as intended. The project was used by Historic England as a case study in an international research project with the Getty Institute into furthering understanding on the conservation of concrete.
Such is the quality in match achieved between the newly applied and the original concrete, many visitors to the theatre are unaware that a repair has been undertaken; a huge endorsement and one that we very much hoped for when starting out on this demanding project.
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In many ways this has been an exemplary project. Repairing the theatre after two previous failures was a challenging proposition but a great many lessons were learned which if published, could be of very wide benefit. It was particularly satisfying to see that using matching materials and a careful conservative approach could succeed. Much of this was down to the individuals involved, whose supervision and expertise ensured high standards of workmanship and a quality result were achieved.
Chris Wood
Former Head of Research at Historic England
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