The redevelopment of the Quadrant Arcade on Regent Street topped the retail category in the New London Awards 2019, with Associated Steel Window Services having been involved in the detailed restoration and conservation of both timber and steel fenestration throughout three floors of the Grade II Listed building.
The property is part of the Crown Estates portfolio and provides space for many well-known shops in this central and very prominent location. The project was headed by Barr Gazetas, while ASWS carried out extensive work to the street frontage, as well as windows within a large light-well and the reproduction of period ironmongery.
Having suffered from long exposure to the weather and been subject to past alterations, much of the detail to the arcade’s fenestration had been compromised, leading to ASWS carrying out a full initial survey before engaging further with Barr Gazetas to help determine the appropriate interventions.
In the case of the large street level and first floor windows, which are up to 1900mm tall, this involved their removal to our London-based premises for shot-blasting, repair and treating with a maritime primer. Due to its condition, the historic glass was replaced with Pilkington low iron Optiwhite, and the frames were installed back in the façade before receiving their final paint finish in-situ.
ASWS also restored five small pane steel windows facing into the central light well, as well as replacing four heritage timber windows and a pair of heritage steel windows. Along the shop fronts inside the 12,000 square foot arcade, ASWS’s highly experienced craftsmen replaced rotten sections of timber frames, including mullions.
These works involved replacing the existing 6mm glass with 11.5mm laminated glass; incorporating the changes to the glazing system to accommodate the increased glass thickness. We also manufactured a bespoke window section, both in timber and steel to match the heritage windows that required replacement, due to severe corrosion and earlier inadequate repairs.
Katrina Howard of ASWS commented, “As a specialist in renovation, we are well known to the leading architectural practices, and can advise on suitable solutions.
Here we worked across the ground, mezzanine and first floor, not just repairing and replacing steel and timber frames, but also sourcing all of the required replica brass ironmongery which we then re-patinated so that the colour matched throughout the building.”
The Project Architect for Barr Gazetas, Giudi Veneri, confirmed: “For the Quadrant Arcade, it was a matter of achieving the best glazing specification possible, for a retail property, with ASWS doing work on the first floor and top floor where there are small pane windows as well as the mezzanine level. A lot of work has gone into the historic part. There was also the need to make the building secure, with laminated glazing, while low iron glass was also specified for the frontage to achieve good clarity. It has been a very successful project.”
The judges for the New London Awards 2019 described the restoration as having “transformed a somewhat unloved part of Regent Street and created a new link through at the same time – providing long term investment in the city.”
ASWS was very proud to be involved in such a prestigious heritage project on Regent Street, once again working closely with Barr Gazetas and Forcia.
