Office Archway Restoration
Structural Repairs’ office space was beautifully and seamlessly integrated into one of Windsor’s iconic train station arches.
This newly built office space boasts from its impressive structural logistics and boldly featured decorative and themed memorabilia at many of its cozy corners.
Completion Date: September 2020
Building Type: Office Space
Location: The Arches, Windsor
This particular arch had been empty for approximately 25 years and hadn’t had any electricity installed or connected to it.
It was extremely damp and had water pouring into the brickwork which led to its awful condition. Over the years, the brickwork had become immensely carbonated which is what made this project so tricky.
However, with detailed planning and careful execution, the archway was turned into a fantastic office and storage space.
The construction of the office, while impressive in its own, was a considerably less fanciful endeavour than it’s decoration – a process which brought life to this archway installation (more to be read on this below).
Once nothing but a standard and empty railway arch, the office now stands as a fully furnished space with a range of individual work areas.
An abundance of installations were made such as a fully furnished kitchen, three bathrooms, several offices and meeting rooms, as well as carefully planned decorative aspects to create a particular desired aesthetic.
Tables and cabinets were likewise neatly constructed from old scaffolding and situated throughout.
The first challenge was breaking up the existing floor and having concrete pad stone foundations put in place to replace it.
This was done as a means to support the mezzanine floor posts which were to hold the now-in-place steel mezzanine bespoke fitted floor.
Our engineers worked arduously as they cut-up and welded-in the second floor of our office space.
Once the successful completion of such was underway, the entrance stairway – which cleverly makes use of recycled scaffolding, was fitted.
Via a combination of fire grit machine torque cleaning, water by pressure and a doff machine, the carbon accumulated in the brickwork was removed. These methods, especially the doff machine, work with high pressure stream and extremely high temperatures.
Brick cleaning is an arduous and labor intensive process by which a brick masonry, also known as a layer of brick which has been laid on the wall’s outermost surface, is cleaned. Brick cleaning is required at various different stages of a building’s life, and with our arch, a cleaning was more than overdue to restore it back to its original condition!
For a closer look at exactly how our bricks were thoroughly and professionally cleaned, please feel free to have a browse of the videos below:
Once this process was complete and the brickwork stood to the cleanliness we desired, the repainting process took way.
The repainting was done with an appropriate lime mortar and any necessary brickwork repairs were likewise conducted.
An example of this is the dampness of the brick which was addressed by waterproofing it with a pure epoxy by Newton’s Waterproofing.
The whole office then underwent an entire fit out as LED strips were applied, an oil fire heating system was installed, new glazing carpets were laid down, toilets and a kitchen were put in place, new roller shutter doors were installed to both the front and back of the arch, along with much more.
All of these fittings transformed this once empty and unusable arch into an accommodating and comfortable living and storage space.
It all begins when you arrive at the Structural Repairs headquarters and feel its unique wonder as you ring to have your presence known and be invited in.
Once you’ve pulled on the remarkable vintage brass Claverley Bell Pull and step through the door, you realise this isn’t your regular Windsor railway arch. Rather, its cozy and moody atmosphere takes you through a historic journey which has much story to tell.
With a decorative set of vintage suitcases stacked upon a trolley and displayed in front of one of the arch’s warm brick walls, a strong Harry Potter Platform 9 and Three Quarters air faces you.
As you are taken up the sustainably made stairway which cleverly makes use of recycled scaffolding, you are faced with a pair of signalling rail lights which makes you question when the next train will be stopping by.
Representing both Windsor and its local train station most fabulously, the office is found to be decorated with art displaying the wonders of the town, as well as, vintage train themed memorabilia at many corners.
Whether that be through an intricately made stream train pressure dial with turning decorative cogs and LED lights, a variety of vintage railway station telephones or humour induced railway themed bathroom signs, here at Structural Repairs we have proven extreme thoughtfulness in regards to the impressive set-up of our head office – if we may say so ourselves!
Furniture was likewise built in-house and from recycled scaffolding tubes and planks. Victorian style cast iron radiators and decorative vintage train themed memorabilia were installed and used to create an appealing design and aesthetic.
In all, here at Structural Repairs we are extremely pleased with the outcome of our office space given that we were not only able to conduct the work we thoroughly enjoy in the form of such a large-scale project, but were likewise able to build our home from the ground up as we did so.
Structural Repairs are a leading global specialist