A Grade II listed bookshop attached to one of Oxford’s largest colleges is undergoing refurbishment and extension; the scope of works includes the use of Foamglas insulation materials to create a high performance weatherproof, fully insulated valour tight envelope.
The Blackwell music bookshop, which stands alongside the grounds of Oxford’s Wadham College, was designed in the 1960s by the renowned modernist practice of Gillespie Kidd and Coia.
Subsequently listed as Grade II, the concrete structure is now being renovated and reconfigured to create a post-graduate centre and graduate study facility.
While Feltham Construction is the main contractor for the project, London based Lee Fitzgerald Architects is the consultancy responsible for this delicate balance between design and conservation. Not only is the space being re-orientated so that the main entrance will be from the college grounds at the rear, but the project is also intended to serve as a model for the ecological re-use of such buildings.
The use of Foamglas W+F Slab and Wallboard has been specified by Lee Fitzgerald Architects to insulate the outside of the new entrance structure; subsequently being covered by either natural stonework or architectural metalwork in the form of brass panels by Roles Broderick Roofing Limited.
The Partner in charge of the project for Lee Fitzgerald, Mr Tim Lee commented: “Our’s is a design practice active across the whole of the south of England, though we have done a number of jobs for the Oxford Colleges. In this instance we won a competition between four consultancies, to refurbish the old Blackwell’s music shop – where, because of Gillespie Kidd and Coia’s international reputation as modernist architects, it has been intensely scrutinised by English Heritage, the 20th Century Society and the normal building authorities.
“We chose Foamglas to clad the new build structure - formed of Stepoc blockwork infilled with concrete in two metre lifts - primarily because Foamglas is a weatherproof, and vapour tight insulation material, and additional vapour barrier was not required.
“The new build was required to give a sense of entrance from the college, but had to fit with the historic back quad, rather than as part of the existing, subterranean Sixties building. With the whole structure wrapped in Foamglas, the monolithic stone facing then effectively becomes a rainscreen with a cavity to allowing it to breathe.
“The Foamglas went up very quickly, forming a weatherproof insulation system down below, and making the building above ground completely weatherproof early, the stone cladding could then proceed at its own pace. Therefore, although FOAMGLAS® is dearer than other insulation products, it does away with so many other jobs, that it works out cheaper overall. I am very impressed with it.”
The Project Manager for Feltham Construction, Mr Trevor Pike also observed: “This has been a complex refurbishment and modernisation that has involved alterations to the inside of the building with a new staircase, lift and entrance. Following the initial specification of the insulation, I worked with the Technical Manager from Foamglas on the development of the installation to make sure it was all detailed correctly.”
Richard O’Connor of Roles Broderick added: “We have been involved in a number projects in the past that have utilised Foamglas insulation as part of the specification, we recognise the benefits of Foamglas, its sustainable credentials and contracting benefits. Our involvement here is to install the brass panels which are will weather and patinate after they have been installed.”
