Orleans House Restoration

CLIENT: London Borough of Richmond
VALUE: £2,500,000
DATE: February 2018

The project involved the refurbishment and extension of the the Main Gallery building and the Octogon Room at Orleans House. The remodelling of the North Wing of the Main Gallery at the ground floor has provided a new accessible entrance with a reception and gift shop.

On the upper floor the new extension has provided additional spaces for a new Study Gallery, enlarged Picture Store, Workshop and Training Room. The internal rationalisation of floor levels and the addition of a lift core has provided disabled access to all floors, which currently does not exist for learning and participation that includes a scheme of interpretation throughout the site.

When Quinn were employed to refurb the Octagon, we found the building in a condition where the Roof has been restored previously. However, the damage to the internal historic fabric and external envelope of building was substantial and required a great deal of careful restoration.

The External Envelope was wrapped in scaffold and required careful Brick and Stone Restoration was carried out, using salvaged period bricks and stone indents, with matching of mortar colours and pointing methods.

The Internal plasterwork was damaged and badly cracked, with a large scaffolding carefully erected within the structure, we stabilised the Historic plasterwork and then set about restoring the plaster using Lime mortars and hessian (in place of horse hair). After the plaster repairs and the drying times for this, we have carried out specialist Decorations and including Gilding of the detailing.The above coupled with renewing Electric lighting to provide the various room settings for the effects of highlighting the internal areas including the newly formed copy of the original centre piece chandelier, the internal of fan coil units for the heat-ing and joinery made heater casings, the renovation of 3 existing large sash windows and the making of one new window and opening up of a previously blinded window opening, Finally restoration of the white and black marble tiled flooring was completed.