German Ambassador‘s Residence

Belgravia, London, Great Britain
Arquitectos
ÜberRaum
Ubicación
Belgravia, London, Great Britain
Año
2016
Client

German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Berlin

RIBA stages
0-6

The German Ambassador‘s Residence Building consists of three terraced houses at 21-23 Belgrave Square, dating from the late 1820s to early 1830s. The external façades are a combination of lime render and stucco over traditional masonry construction.

It has four full-height storeys, plus attic and basement levels, with projecting Doric porches and a continuous first floor balcony. Neoclassical decoration is a feature of both the exterior and several interior state rooms.

Facade Renovation – From 2010 to 2014, ÜberRaum Architects were appointed by the Federal Foreign Office to renovate the façade of the Residence.

The façade works involved detailed technical analysis and historical research of the existing materials, structures and features. Experts in historic and vernacular building techniques were consulted to advise on the most appropriate methods for skilled craftspeople to use in the restoration.

The facade suffered heavily from weathering and poor of craftsmanship in previous renovations. Substantial work was carried out to restore the building’s exterior to its former glory.

The restoration was carefully planned in close collaboration with English Heritage. During construction, the Residence remained in occupation, while meeting stringent security requirements.

Interior Renovation – In 2014, the federal state of Baden-Württemberg was commissioned to renovate the Residence‘s interior. Cracks were found on almost all of the building‘s ceilings. Structural investigations showed these were not safe, so ceilings were quickly taken down in two rooms as a safety precaution.

A large number of ceilings were made of heavy plaster reinforced with metal lath. This ceiling type was known to collapse due to insufficient fixing onto the ceiling joists, and identified as in need of replacement. This also presented an opportunity to update fire- protection in line with modern standards. Safety measures stabilised the ceilings in 2014, preceding the renovation of the grand state rooms, which took place from October 2015 to September 2016.

Heavy plaster and metal-lath ceilings were replaced with acoustic plasterboard, plaster cornices. Ceiling mouldings were replaced and parquet floors renovated. Trench heaters replaced ceiling heating panels, and upgraded mechanical and electrical infrastructure includes new LED lighting, AV and data.

Existing Georgian wired glass panels over the main stair were in poor condition and replaced in 2016. New glazing allows more natural light to wash into the space, reflecting new gold leaf applied to balustrades and cornices. The facade works brought to light an urgent need to renovate the interior of the Residence.

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