To create a modern, sustainable, office-led building, within the Westminster Cathedral Conservation Area, that was sensitive to its historical context and displayed very high levels of build quality, particularly in the construction of the external envelope.
To respond to the stunning Victorian brickwork and Portland stone facades of the Cathedral, brickwork features dominantly in the design. To meet build quality requirements, Ibstock developed the external envelope off-site using pre-cast concrete panels with a bonded brick veneer. This provided the mass required to support the punched windows which were incorporated into the panels during manufacture, and improved construction speed to meet the tight build deadline. Ibstock worked closely with the client, designers, contractor and specialists, who were able to view and agree samples and monitor construction at the factory. Panels were assembled on site at a rate of 4 per day, enabling the entire cladding operation to be completed within approximately two months.
