A project to bring new life to a landmark building in London’s Covent Garden has turned the spotlight on the products and technical expertise available from Sto Ltd.
A variety of Sto products were used on the exterior of the Dukelease Properties Hop House building, which has already won the ‘Conversion, Restoration or Refurbishment’ category of the 2015 Sunday Times British Homes Awards.
The project saw the 5-storey, 1980s office building converted into 29 luxury apartments, with a new two-storey penthouse roof extension added. The project architects - Brimelow McSweeney Architects – remodeled the exterior façade to enhance its original Viennese-style design, and this included re-defining the original cast stonework on the front elevation.
“We chose StoDeco Plan boards for the front façade, to create new window relief and entrance detailing, and to enhance some of the concrete sills, stone plinthwork and other original features that were retained,” explains Sheila Eilenberg. of Brimelow McSweeney Architects.
Another key element of this project was the creation of a striking curved frieze to the top floor, below the large overhanging eaves,” explains Mark Shepherd from Sto Technical Services. “This was an absolutely bespoke solution and had to include some sharp and clearly defined relief work, which was designed around the growing and harvesting of hops - an activity whose links to the local area stretch back to the 17th century.
Creating the desired effect on the frieze demanded close collaboration between the architect, the client and Dartford-based render and exterior specialists Regency Plastering. “We worked very closely with Sto’s technical and manufacturing teams and their expertise proved to be invaluable in designing the most effective solution,” adds Regency’s Paul Brown.
The frieze, a series of formers were constructed over the original stonework to support the StoDeco Plan boards. These lightweight boards combine excellent weather resistance and rugged mechanical properties, so they were the perfect choice for this project. The boards were laminated, and then elements of the bespoke 3-dimensional hop design were machined using Sto’s state-of-the-art CNC milling machines. The boards were also carefully pre-kerfed on the reverse side so that they would conform to the required curve and also accommodate any dimensional discrepancies when applied to the building.
StoDeco Plan boards are produced from Verofill granulate which is extremely durable, easily workable and light in weight. With a high resistance to damage, cracking and environmental influences, StoDeco Plan is a very attractive proposition for the renovation of protected historical buildings where custom designs need to be manufactured.
StoTherm Classic K external wall insulation (EWI) system was also applied to the rear façade of Hop House to achieve the target U-value of 0.20W/m²K. This system incorporates EPS board and cement-free components to provide market-leading thermal performance and impact resistance. Adhesive application allows for quick and simple installation. A top coat of StoSilco silicone render finish was also applied. With a high level of water repellence, this render provides excellent protection against weathering and dampness, and is also resistant to algae and fungal growth.
“A project such as this shows that when it comes to façade design, Sto really can provide a solution that will help translate the architect’s vision into reality,” concludes Sto’s Mark Shepherd. “By working with the various parties involved we were able to help create a new look for the building which not only reflects the luxury nature of the apartments inside, but also includes a unique link to the history of the surrounding area.”