The completion of The Whiteley marks the comprehensive refurbishment of one of London’s best-known listed buildings. Designed by Foster + Partners, the former department store in Bayswater has been transformed into a high-quality mixed-use development comprising apartments, a hotel, retail units and commercial space.
For the various uses within the building, seele delivered an extensive façade package. This included approximately 7,000 sqm of steel window systems with balconies, a 2,000 sqm steel mullion-and-transom façade for the shopfronts and 1,100 sqm of glazed façades for the penthouses. The scope also included three steel-and-glass domes spanning the courtyards and providing generous levels of natural daylight.
A particular challenge was the precise connection of the new façade elements to the building’s steel structure, which is more than 100 years old. Detailed planning, advance testing of the lifting operations and closely coordinated installation enabled the successful delivery of the works.
Commissioned by Laing O’Rourke, seele has made a significant contribution to the successful transformation of this historic landmark. The Whiteley combines listed architecture with modern façade engineering to create a sustainable and future-focused building envelope.
