Wellington House
At the junction of Buckingham Gate and Petty France in London’s Westminster, this distinctive sandstone faced 10-storey new build, provides 59 high-value apartments, with retail space at ground level on the prominent corner.
Land Securities
Architect
John McAslan & Partners
Contractor
Wates Construction
Quantity Surveyor
Davis Langdon LLP
Faced with tight site boundaries and an aspirational, high specification design, we engaged early with the client and architect, to help inform the design from our trusted delivery experience. Careful planning of the multiple interfaces with other trades, whilst paying close attention to the stringent quality requirements, and demanding acoustic and thermal specifications was all vital for the successful delivery of this unique project.
A concrete frame was utilised as the superstructure, with steel framing as slab infills creating apertures for the glazing and grounding for the pre-cast concrete cladding. Interfacing at these junctures was important as there were 3 separate trades to bring together but at the same time, whilst still maintaining the weathering line. An aluminium window system was used in these locations and we took full control of the detailed design of the interfacing and developing the thermal and acoustic criteria into a workable solution. At ground floor level and to the retail space, a bolted glass design was worked up to maximise the impact with frameless glazing.
The curved prow of the building bought challenges with the curving of large high performance glass units and louvres and gave a very narrow supply chain choice to these aspects. Another area of complexity was the requirement for electronically operated sliding rooflights to the terrace areas that proved challenging in both design and fabrication.
With the building boundary essentially larger than the site boundary, the access strategy was hugely key – especially with the majority of the work being carried out above busy streets in close proximity to Buckingham Palace and Wellington Barracks. A scaffold-less install methodology was adopted that saw the project successfully delivered with no external access provided.
Incorporating the work of famed visual artist, Georgia Russell, the innovative treatment of the façade is the result of a fruitful collaboration and giving a stunning, contemporary finish.
