East Wing of Somerset House reopens after upgrades
The East Wing of Somerset House in London, UK has reopened after a £16.7 million ($26.6 million) revamp.
The renovation of the Grade I listed structure has been designed by BDP with Wates serving as the main contractor. Work involved re-incorporation of primary visual axes, and installation of new lifts to upgrade vertical connections. The cantilevered staircase's missing elements have been reconstructed with the help of conventional methods as part of the project. There has also been creation of future links to link the front door via the East Wing and into the campus at various Strand levels.
The building encompasses six stories. The ground level consists of Somerset House's exhibition area and connects the courtyard of Somerset House and King’s College London campus. The same floor also comprises a cultural area and a café. The first level of the building sports a conference area and seminar rooms. The space has been equipped with advanced technical equipment to serve conferences and symposia.
The third and fourth floors as well as a portion of the lower ground floor of the facility will feature new facilities for the School of Law. The second basement features additional academic area and the Learning Centre of Somerset House.
The project has also exposed the Saxon and Tudor foundations and has fitted them with a glass floor and bespoke lighting fixtures. Further, the facility has now been built to BREEAM Excellent specifications. Its current fabric has been used to offer a mixed mode ventilation system.
