The entire façade of the former Daily Express building on Fleet Street, nicknamed by Private Eye magazine ‘the Black Lubyanka’, has been dismantled and catalogued, ready to be reassembled after demolition and redevelopment of adjacent properties.
The task was given to Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) on behalf of demolition specialist Erith after the City of London Corporation approved the plans for a new 21-storey office-led development and rejuvenation of the Grade II listed 120 Fleet Street. The art deco building will be transformed into a ‘publicly accessible cultural destination with social and educational outreach’.
The contract is the latest in series of high-profile collaborations by ASWS and Erith, including the famous Whiteleys department store . https://www.the-glazine.com/?p=7385.
ASWS operations director Kris Bennell, explained some of the stages involved: “Once we got the call from Erith our survey team not only photographed the entire 200m2 façade of black Vitrolite glass panelling, but also took precise measurements from a datum before compiling very detailed CAD drawings which will allow us to precisely re-assemble the bracketry and frontage when the new structural work is complete.”
“It is one of the most famous art deco buildings in London – dating from 1932 – where the Vitrolite panels – basically pigmented structural glass – are glazed into aluminium frames in units some two metres tall and 3.5 metres wide. We removed all of the cappings as well as the transom and mullion cover plates so the Vitrolite could be lifted out and the main frames dismantled.
“This was complicated by the varying contours across the building and variations in the original manufacture. As well as our having the Heritage Asset Register and secure storage facilities, we were also able to bring all of our experience in such forensic type work to bear: so that the façade can be exactly rebuilt in some 18 months’ time.”
Erith lead site manager Sean Morris added: “We have worked with ASWS on a number of projects in recent years and they have done an outstanding job again on the Express building, enabling our work to proceed on schedule.”
