Thomann-Hanry® Annual Newsletter 2020

Annual Review December 2020

2020: THE YEAR THAT WAS — AND LIFE AT THOMANN-HANRY®

Blazej Pajda, Mechanic

DID YOU KNOW?

The ultimate CPD on façade restoration for Surveyors

Thomann-Hanry® CPD seminars on façades This seminar takes an in-depth look at traditional façade cleaning methods and their characteristics in order to understand both their benefits and their drawbacks.

We examine issues of access, water and waste containment in relation to these traditional methods, as well as the potential impacts on both building occupiers and the public.

We then explore a dry, non-abrasive alternative method and how, through its use, the above issues are minimised and the benefits of speed, value and sustainability are maximised.

“Keeping up-to-date with changes within the façade cleaning sector ensures that I can provide my clients with the most appropriate options for building cleaning. Recommending Thomann-Hanry®’s façade patent cleaning system ensures that I provide my clients with a cost-effective system with great results and a short works programme.”

David Holland BSc MRICS Director, Shoregate Consulting Limited

Thomann-Hanry® Thomann-Hanry® are an award-winning main contractor for external façade restoration using façade gommage®, the only system designed to professionally clean building façades without the need for scaffolding. We have been for many years part of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) CPD Providers Network, and our presentation has been approved and accredited by RIBA. We regularly carry out CPD seminars across the country to architects, building consultants, building surveyors, facility managers and commercial property owners.

Our CPD is also available at the Chartered Institute of Buildings (CIOB) Academy portal.

Book your free CPD seminar today.

Get in touch 020 8453 1494 info@thomann-hanry.co.uk thomann-hanry.co.uk

MD LETTER

I for one am incredibly tired of reading anything about COVID-19 and I am sure you are too but, given the massive effect and change it has brought to all of our lives and working practices, we can hardly look back at 2020 or forward to 2021 without acknowledging it.

Table of contents

COVID-19 has had a massive effect on both the team and the business. It quickly became apparent that working together in an open plan office was no longer possible. As luck would have it, we had upgraded our IT infrastructure just months before, making the early transition to home working relatively straightforward. Much of our client base is hospitality and service charge related and we had a long list of 5* hotels requiring façade cleaning and restoration works over what was looking to be an incredibly busy summer, with the potential to rival 2019 – our best ever year. The enormity of what was facing us began to sink in – those clients who were previously considering the lockdown as an ideal time to do works moved to cash conservation. Meanwhile, landlords facing a backlash from struggling tenants who were not even in occupation decided to cancel non-essential works.

Did you know?

Faced with an immediate reduction of workloads, ThomannHanry® made use of the government furlough scheme to protect jobs and our team members’ health for as long as possible. Come July and the relaxation of the first lockdown we were very fortunate to have a long run of work which continued unabated, night, day and weekend for many months. While things are quieter again now, we have adapted and repositioned ourselves in the short term towards providing more survey and maintenance work whilst the major projects are on hold, as well as broadening our client base through targeted marketing campaigns.

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Discover

4 to 7

Word

8&9

Project of the year

10 to 13

Lockdown projects

14 to 20

Iconic

21 to 25

Perspective

26 & 27

Shoutout

28 to 33

Made the edit

34 & 35

At home

Our office staff have proved resilient, with everyone trying to make the best of what is a difficult situation. Whilst all are still home-based, we meet every week as a group via Teams and are in constant contact. Our operations team has sadly had to reduce in size but we have started to hire again and have acquired some quite remarkable talent in recent weeks.

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From the history book

37 to 41

What’s on

42 to 47

Socialise with us! Find us on:

The Thomann-Hanry® brand has survived many crises since its inception over 70 years ago and only grown stronger.

LinkedIn Thomann-Hanry YouTube ThomannHanry Instagram @Thomannhanryuk Facebook @thomannhanryuk

We’ll continue to be here for you through 2021 and beyond.

Cheers,

This newsletter is published by Thomann-Hanry® UK. All rights reserved.

Its total and partial reproduction is not authorised. @2021 Thomann-Hanry®.

Mark Styles

Managing Director

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DISCOVER

We remove dirt, not surface detail Unlike some traditional façade cleaning methods, façade gommage® gently cleans without abrasion, and is highly effective across a wide range of materials and surfaces.

Limestone

Deutsche Bank, London

• formed at the bottom of shallow lakes and compacted over the ages • primarily consisted of calcium carbonate, it’s hard and durable • used widely from the Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt onwards • featured in façades, cornices, pillars, floors and staircases • reactive to acid solutions so acid-based cleaning chemicals are not advised, as they can etch the surface • choose neutral or mild alkali-based cleaners • non-aggressive, façade gommage® suits perfectly ***most common limestone we work on are Portland, Bath and Ketton stones

Portland Stone • used as a building material since Roman times • its widespread use is testament to its ease of working • became established as London’s “local stone” from the 1600s, chosen by Sir Christopher Wren for St Paul’s Cathedral and by Inigo Jones for Banqueting Hall • as a limestone dating back to the Jurassic period, is a durable and attractive material that generally requires minimal maintenance Bank of England, London

Bath Stone • features warm, distinctive honey tones • used widely since Roman times across Southern England – nowhere more so than the iconic World Heritage city of Bath itself • made up of granular fragments of calcium carbonate, classified as an oolitic limestone • most quarries are now converted to other purposes • easy to work, it’s a “free stone” – can be squared up or sawn in any direction, unlike layered rocks such as slate

Restoring Excellence

• highly susceptible to dirt and decay • is highly porous, and water-based cleaning techniques should be avoided as well as chemical cleaners, which can accelerate decay

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The Berkeley, London

Ketton Stone • features a distinctive pink or pale-yellow colour • is a Jurassic oolitic limestone, used in construction since the 16th century • named after the Rutland village of Ketton • widely used some 60 miles away in Cambridge on many colleges • a “free stone” – can be sawn or squared up in any direction • porous material, militating against water and chemical-based cleaning processes • King’s College Cambridge chosen façade gommage® technique to gently rub off and lift away years of accumulated dirt and grime

King’s College, Cambridge

1 Poultry, London

Sandstone • clastic sedimentary rock • made up of sand-sized mineral particles, rock fragments (clasts) or organic material • most is composed of quartz or feldspar, silicates which are highly resistant to weathering processes at the Earth’s surface • varies greatly in colour, depending on the impurities within • an ideal building material, easy to carve • generally good resistance to weathering, used as a building material since prehistoric times • its softness as a substrate can also make water and chemical-based cleaning techniques problematic

Yorkstone • consisting of quartz, mica, feldspar, clay and iron oxides • colour depends on the proportions of minerals in its makeup • tight-grained, Carboniferous sandstone, sourced from quarries in Yorkshire since medieval times • mainly cut and pressed from quarries around Holmfirth, West Yorkshire • featured in most London paving • hard-wearing and durable, even in harsh weather conditions

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Terracotta • clay-based substrate translated as “baked earth” • features in many Victorian buildings in Birmingham • the inter-war ascent of concrete in Modernist architecture in the 1930s drew a line under terracotta as a building material • soils badly and thick encrustations of sooty deposits can build up all too easily, potentially concealing structural defects

Albemarle Street, London

Pre-cast panels • prepared, cast and cured off-site • can often prove to be more economical and practical than cast-in-place concrete • the ingress of water between joints can give rise to structural issues Restoring Excellence

• regular inspection and cleaning is essential to avoid problems escalating, potentially hidden by layers of accumulated dirt and grime • a material which allows a wide range of acceptable cleaning techniques, including water and chemical-based processes

Victoria Park Plaza Hotel

Concrete • composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded with fluid cement which cures (or hardens) over time • used more than any other artificial material in the world • offers durability and long service life coupled with excellent fire resistance and the potential for creative finishes • ton for ton, its worldwide use is twice as much as steel, wood, plastics and aluminium combined • durable and suitable to many water and chemical-based cleaning techniques • material of choice for many of London’s largest monolithic buildings and issues of access and scaffolding frequently occur • façade gommage® scaffold-free system is a practical solution as enables access to otherwise inaccessible areas Alico House, Croydon

Granite • predominantly white, pink or grey • coarse-grained, crystalline igneous rock • hard, tough and massive (lacks any internal structures) • widely used in the construction of buildings and memorials throughout history • the introduction of steam-powered cutting and dressing tools in the 19th century improved the results of hand carving • followed by modern carving techniques such as computer-controlled rotary bits and sandblasting • low porosity and permeability meaning water-based cleaning techniques are suitable • scaffold-free façade gommage® technique offers an easier solution than removing cladding to allow scaffold to be tied in

JP Morgan, London

The Berkeley, London

Brickwork • can offer a lifetime of low maintenance but essential to identify staining causes for remedial action • water-based release of white salt deposits, known as efflorescence, is a transitory effect and may weather away naturally • excessive wetting can easily force salt deposits back into it only to re-emerge again later • lime staining, which emanates from mortar joints, stone or concrete components when they become saturated are typically seen on the line of a mortar joint and running down in streaks across the brickwork below • the build-up of dirt, grime and soot take place over long periods of time and are generally the result of airborne deposition

Restoring Excellence

• for both lime staining and efflorescence, façade gommage®

So whatever material you’re looking to clean and restore, you’re in safe hands with Thomann-Hanry ®.

To find out more and get a free quote, contact us via 020 8453 1494 or info@thomann-hanry.co.uk

Restoring Excellence

WORD

REFORM CLUB, PALL MALL, AFTER

Building confidence Façades and the psychology of perception

By Mark Styles, July 2020 Our managing director unpacks the psychological benefits of a pristine façade – and how these considerations are amplified as the UK emerges from lockdown.

of their environment. And buildings can play a big part in this process. It’s always been true that a dirty and unkempt façade undermines confidence amongst workers and visitors to any building, regardless of age or sector.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” It’s an old maxim, but its relevance to building maintenance has never been greater than now, as lockdown is eased and people start returning to our towns and cities. It’s a phrase that alludes to the psychology of perception – how we see the world around us is a singularly personal process.

Depending on how each of us is wired, we all respond to our environment slightly differently. Perception is a potent thing – and astute property managers and owners have long leveraged its power to great effect.

“In the retail world, the packaging of any given product accounts for 33% of all purchasing decisions. For business owners, the “packaging” of their enterprise is the building itself – present this to its best advantage and you’ve already ensured that the all-important first impression is favourable.”

For hoteliers, retailers and restaurateurs battling to restore market share, it’s critically important that their premises inspire confidence. A grubby façade can betray years of perceived neglect. After all, if the operator cannot look after their premises – how well will they look after their clientele?

First impressions matter and we all make countless instantaneous judgements every day of our lives. With our collective confidence in the world around us shaken by the effects of COVID-19 over recent months, everyone is subconsciously seeking reassurance in every aspect

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A regular regime of periodic façade and building cleaning also helps identify structural issues sooner, enabling problems to be addressed earlier and remedied appropriately. So as well as inspiring confidence amongst all who visit and work in the building, a clean façade is far likelier to be a sound façade.

It’s a similar story with commercial buildings. A recurring theme reported by our clients over the years is a tangible uptick in staff morale and pride in their surroundings following a façade clean. As workers slowly return to their desks and a “new normal” in office life, every aspect of their working environment is critical. Regular and visible cleaning of internal areas offers quick wins in restoring staff confidence, but a clean façade offers deeper, longerterm benefits, profoundly improving the overall attitude towards a workplace or facility.

From a wider perspective, it is incumbent on property owners and managers to preserve the outward appearance of their buildings just as much as they maintain the interiors. The cumulative effect of poorly maintained façades on a business or residential district can be damaging not only financially but from environmental and societal perspectives.

The psychology of on environmental perception has another important effect. In a vicious circle, environments perceived as dirty or uncared-for incubate a culture of neglect amongst their occupants. In a dirty environment, workers and visitors take less care in their surroundings, leading to further declines in cleanliness. Conversely, a clean, tidy workplace inspires pride and fosters a positive mindset towards the working environment – a pristine façade is a powerful tool in this battle to instil pride and a sense of ownership.

In the end, it all comes back to psychology. To ensure that our buildings, streets and cities are places to which people want to return, we need to change perceptions. Instead of viewing façade cleaning as a problem – as a necessary evil – we should see it as an opportunity. An opportunity to reassure and inspire our people; to attract new customers and gain a commercial edge over our competitors.

Better still, the process of building cleaning itself is a profound statement of intent on the part of business operators. In a matter of days, façade gommage® can yield transformational effects – not only on the appearance of a building but on the morale and buy-in of all who visit and work there. Moreover, as the process is carried out from a lorry-mounted hydraulic boom, it achieves a step-change in the appearance of the building – without scaffolding or any of its downsides.

It’s an opportunity to restore far more than mere bricks and mortar, stone or concrete. It’s the chance to rebuild confidence and pride as we look to a brighter future.

REFORM CLUB, PALL MALL, BEFORE 9

PROJECT OF THE YEAR

From Roman roots to lockdown revival London Wall Buildings showcase the power and speed of façade gommage® Standing on the footprint of part of London’s original Roman walls, 1-5 London Wall Buildings in EC2 is an object lesson in the remarkable restorative powers of façade gommage®. We were commissioned to clean and revive the imposing Portland stone frontage of this City of London office block as part of a refit project during the COVID-19 lockdown. The results are truly impressive.

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Roman origins Remnants of the original Roman Wall, built in the late 2nd to early 3rd century, still stand to this day in locations such as Tower Hill and the Barbican estate. It is thought the wall was constructed as part of the response to the invasion of northern Britain by the Picts, who overran Hadrian’s Wall between 180 and 190 AD. One of the biggest building projects undertaken in Roman Britain, its construction coincided with a power struggle between Clodius Albinus, the Roman Empire’s governor of Britain, and Septimus Severus, who oversaw a subsequent period of prosperity in 3rd century London (then known as Londinium).

Echoes of this long history resound in modern London, with names derived from gateways in the original Roman wall – Ludgate, Aldgate, Newgate, Cripplegate and Bishopsgate.

London Wall Buildings, in Finsbury Circus, stand on foundations of part of the original wall. Designed by Gordon and Gunton, this striking five storey neoclassical edifice was built in 1901 in London’s signature Portland stone, with mansard slate roofs to the end pavilions on Blomfield Street. The round arched entrance is set in a two storey porch with Ionic columns, in a frontage architecturally characterised by pedimented dormers and rusticated columns.

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Power, precision and speed In a renovation project planned, organised and carried out through the COVID-19 lockdown, some 1,600 sq. m. of façade were restored to their original splendour, showcasing the power, precision and speed of façade gommage®, the pioneering cleaning technique patented by Thomann-Hanry®. Projecting fine, light but sharp powders under compressed air across the stonework surfaces, façade gommage® gently rubs and lifts away decades of accumulated dirt and grime, removing them for recycling.

In just nine days, across five weekends, the entire frontage of 1-5 London Wall Buildings was cleaned and returned to its pristine original appearance, reviving the distinctive white-grey hues of the iconic Portland stone.

The results are little short of spectacular, with the 120-year-old stonework responding flawlessly to a perfectly matched cleaning technique. With Roman roots and a classic architectural heritage, London Wall Buildings are a case study in the power of 21st century restoration.

Carried out from a cabin on a lorry-mounted hydraulic boom, the process is an agile and unobtrusive alternative to conventional cleaning techniques, which invariably call for a building to be shrouded in scaffolding for weeks on end – if not months. More commonly accustomed to working in city-centre locations during busy, high-traffic conditions, the four-man cleaning team had the unusual experience of working in the near silence of lockdown London.

• • • • •

All windows were taped using the company’s Palfinger machinery, protecting the interiors of the building from the ingress of dust and particles. Our proprietary façade gommage® platforms were used for the clean itself.

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Location – 1-5 London Wall, London EC2M 5PP Listing – Grade II Listed building Substrate – Portland stone Surface area – 1,600 sq. m.

Project duration – 9 days

LOCKDOWN RESTORATION PROJECTS

Sketch, paint and the fine art of restoration Thomann-Hanry® revive a Mayfair masterpiece

architecture of 9 Conduit Street features a giant order of Ionic pilasters through the first and second floors with enriched frieze and cornice and an attic storey with cornice and blocking course. On the ground floor, which is rusticated up to plat band, the imposing entrance is flanked by Doric columns with fluted frieze and mutual cornice. Of added historical note, it was also one of London’s first buildings to make use of Roman Cement.

Research, surveying and preparatory works form an important part of any building restoration project, but few rival the sheer complexity and detail demanded by Thomann-Hanry® for our recent façade renovation at Mayfair’s iconic Sketch restaurant.

9 Conduit Street has been home to Sketch since 2003.

Awarded its third Michelin star in October 2019, the restaurant’s dazzling New French cuisine has seen it’s ranked amongst the world’s top twenty establishments

by Restaurant Magazine. The meteoric success of Sketch is just the latest chapter in the rich and storied history of this Grade II Listed townhouse.

Throughout its history, the property has been home to a wide variety of societies and institutions, reputedly including cyclists, psychologists and balloonists and, more reliably, the Suffragette movement, Christian Dior and RIBA. RIBA’s tenure at Conduit Street extended from 1887 to 1909. During this time, the Royal Institute hosted a competition to re-design Wyatt’s original 18th-century façade. The project was never realised, but the RIBA archive at the V&A retains a number of the submitted proposal drawings. Preserving its lineage, an image of

Building history Initially a private residence, it was designed in 1779

by English gothic architect James Wyatt, whose distinguished career spanned work on Fonthill Abbey, Ashridge and Oriel College, as well as royal commissions for alterations at Frogmore and Windsor Castle. The

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9 Conduit Street is engraved on the fine 1930s bronze doors of the Institute’s current headquarters in Portland Place.

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Building restoration works In order to achieve an absolutely authentic and sympathetic restoration of the façade, ThomannHanry® undertook a meticulous preparatory survey and archaeological investigation, in addition to commissioning independent paintwork analysis. Such groundwork helps to ensure best practice, as well as anticipating any otherwise unforeseen issues, including the presence of any deleterious substances, such as lead or arsenic in the paintwork. For example, if lead is identified in the existing paintwork, all works are required to conform to Control of Lead At Work (CLAW) regulations for its safe and compliant disposal. In the case of Conduit Street, forensic levels of analysis were also key to guaranteeing a perfect restoration of such an important historical structure, including matching lime render to redefine aspects such as Arris details.

Works commenced upon satisfactory completion of this preparatory research. With a significant degree of lengthy render restoration work required, the decision was taken to scaffold the 240 sq. m. frontage and cover it with a specially designed hoarding. Apart from finishing applied from mobile platforms, all work was carried out by hand by the Thomann-Hanry® team of restorers, painters and decorators. The two-month project entailed a complete exterior building restoration, with repairs to Roman stucco on flat surfaces and intricate mouldings, many of which had to be completely reconstructed.

All previously painted masonry surfaces were then redecorated with Keim mineral paint, with all woodwork repainted using a four coat Dulux system. Lead repairs were carried out to the roof and ongoing lead testing conducted in the restaurant and public areas to monitor for any dust settlement from the works.

Commenting on the finished project, Thomann-Hanry® Painting Supervisor Russell Butler observed: “This was an

incredibly painstaking, but equally rewarding project.

With such history and importance attached to this building – and after so many years of relative neglect – we knew that nothing but excellence would suffice to bring this building back to life. I’m proud to say we achieved that.”

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• Location – 9 Conduit St, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG • Listing – Grade II Listed building • Substrate – Roman cement • Surface area – 240 sq. m.

• Project duration – 8 weeks

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Thomann-Hanry® take a stripped-back approach to renovation in Earls Court In an intensive 3 months project involving multiple company divisions, our restoration specialists have stripped over 20 layers of paint and decades of indifference off Earls Court’s K+K Hotel George Kensington.

Building history and area The steady, continued gentrification of Earl’s Court in recent times has seen many parts of this corner of SW5 restored from faded bohemian grandeur to chic refinement and sophistication. In an area where stuccoed terraced houses with Italianate dressings rub shoulders with Jacobean and Second Empire influences, the K+K Hotel George Kensington originated as six houses on Templeton Place. With sister properties across Europe, including Barcelona, Paris, Vienna and Prague, the K+K luxury hotel group has become known for its imaginative fusion of modern style and facilities in historical buildings and settings.

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BEFORE

AFTER

Restoration specialist works

wrapped for neatness, the entire façade was restored over an intensive 3-month programme of works.

Thomann-Hanry® were approached in 2019 to restore the façades of the K+K Hotel George Kensington. With over 20 layers of paint obscuring the original brickwork, was project as much about as what needed removing as what needed retaining and refurbishing. Moreover, its location in a conservation area meant consent was required from the local authority before even a single coat of paint could be removed.

At times, all ten members of the company’s specialist painting and decorating division were deployed on the project. Working ten-hour days, seven days a week, they were joined on-site by stonemasons, a restoration specialist and four labourers, with daily deliveries of materials and safe removal of often hazardous waste products such as lead paint flakes. Due to the high lead content, appropriate PPE was worn to ensure the safety of personnel at all times.

The starting point of the project was a meticulous preparatory survey, carried out to ensure best practice and anticipate any unforeseen problems. As with all buildings of this age, there was a strong possibility that deleterious substances such as lead or arsenic could be present in the paintwork. If, as in the case of the K+K Hotel George, lead is identified, all works are legally required to conform to Control of Lead at Work (CLAW) regulations to ensure its safe and compliant disposal.

With so many layers of paint removed, beautifully ornate original features, such as carved lion heads on the mouldings, were revealed. Previously decayed pointing on 210 sq. m. of exposed brickwork was painstakingly cut, restoring the façade to its original glory. Damaged bricks were either repaired or replaced altogether after paint layers were chemically stripped and then the last residues removed using micro-abrasives. 40 corbels across the frontage, many held together by paint film, were meticulously restored by the Thomann-Hanry® restoration team. Wooden doors, windows, frames and sills were all repainted, as were all masonry, window surrounds and corbels, which were restored and redecorated with lime-based renders and over 210kg of Keim mineral paint.

Alongside the presence of lead, the survey revealed other significant issues. These included corrosion within the ferrous bracketry and the retention of moisture against the façade by multiple layers of paint. As a result, Thomann-Hanry® recommended that all layers of paint should be removed, stripping the building back to its original brickwork, enabling the façade to be redecorated with age-appropriate materials, such as lime-based renders and breathable mineral paints.

To complete the project, balconies were re-asphalted; lead installed to the main cornice; pigeon spikes, pin and wire installed to all balconies; and ledges and all metalwork redecorated, including perimeter, balcony railings and downpipes.

Due to the complex nature and sheer scale of works required it was agreed that, unusually for ThomannHanry®, scaffolding would be required across the front façade. Installed with a temporary roof and shrink

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A complex exercise in the coordination of complementary restoration techniques, the K+K Hotel George Kensington showcased the multi-disciplinary talents of Thomann-Hanry®. The results may have taken longer and been more labour-intensive than those achieved by the company’s signature façade gommage® process, but the astonishing results are no less impressive.

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• Location – 1-15 Templeton Pl, Earl’s Court, London SW5 9NB • Listing – n/a • Substrate – Brick • Surface area – 1,440 sq. m.

• Project duration – 3 months

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ICONIC

A thousand windows, zero scaffolding Thomann-Hanry® redecorate London’s original Landmark A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, Marylebone’s Landmark London hotel welcomes guests with dazzling 5-star luxury. In late 2019, Londonbased restoration specialists Thomann-Hanry® were commissioned to breathe new life into this magnificent grade II Listed building. As painting contractor only, the project represents one of the company’s biggest and most important assignments to date, restoring one of London’s most historic railway hotels.

History The vision of business magnate Sir Edward Watkin, the hotel dates back to an era of spectacular hotel development in the late 19th century, powered by the explosive growth of Britain’s railways. Opening in July 1899, the Great Central Hotel was designed by renowned architect Col. Robert Edis, with a brief to surpass the grandeur and opulence of the Savoy and Hotel Cecil, which had opened in 1895 and 1896 respectively. Admired for his previous work, which included the ballroom for the Prince of Wales at Sandringham, Edis rose to the challenge, designing the hotel around the Winter Garden – a soaring courtyard atrium, directly into which guests would arrive by horse and carriage.

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The building in detail The building featured a clock tower, lending it an aura of civic authority, as well as more outré innovations, such as a rooftop cycle track for the use of guests looking to work off some of the excesses of high living. The hotel’s steeply pitched roofs, ornamental tracery and impressive façades are outstanding examples of Gothic Revival architecture, favoured by Edis in contrast to the art deco and neoclassical styles more prevalent at the time.

Apart from spells as a convalescent home for officers during both world wars, the Great Central established itself as one of London’s pre-eminent hotels throughout the first half of the twentieth century, before being bought by the London and North Eastern Railway Company and repurposed as office space in 1945. In 1988 it was acquired by Kentaro Abe, who had found fame and fortune as Japanese pop star Sen Masao.

Construction work started on a re-born hotel in 1989, opening as The Regent four years later under the ownership of the Four Seasons Group. Subsequently bought by the Lancaster London Hotel Company, it was re-launched as the Landmark London Hotel in 1995.

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Specialist painting contractor works In classic Gothic Revival style, the design of the building features serried ranks of windows – over a thousand of them. It was this aspect that the hotel operators identified as the key to unlocking an external restoration of the Landmark in 2019. Commissioned as painting contractor, Thomann-Hanry® were tasked with redecorating all windows, window frames and sills, as well as over 50 doors and louvres.

The project also encompassed around a mile of ornate metalwork, including the two main canopies, in addition to varnishing the main entrance woodwork and painting perimeter railings, balconies, downpipes and the front entrance canopy steelwork frame.

Before a single brush stroke of paint was applied, Thomann-Hanry® undertook a meticulous preparatory survey to ensure best practice and anticipate any unforeseen problems. With a building of this age, it was also essential to establish that no deleterious substances were present, such as lead or arsenic in the paintwork.

Once the project was given the green light, the Thomann-Hanry® team of painters and decorators toiled for some 20 weeks, enduring storms and the very worst that a tempestuous British winter had to throw at them.

As a company renowned for its façade gommage® work, carried out from Mobile Elevated Work Platforms, Thomann-Hanry® were a perfect fit for the Landmark’s management team – the use of MEWPs avoiding the costly and slow alternative of shrouding the building in unsightly scaffolding. In this way, the Landmark was able to operate entirely as usual throughout the works, with neither guests, staff, nor passers-by inconvenienced by the latticework of scaffolding that normally accompanies redecoration projects of this scale.

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Reflecting on the project, Keith Price, the Landmark’s Chief Engineer, commented, “Painting the exterior wood & metalwork on a 6 storey five stars grade II Listed building in the busy Marylebone area has not been an easy task. The combined complication issues of occupancy and parking restrictions, compounded by adverse weather conditions, have been managed extremely well between the Hotel management team and Thomann-Hanry®.

The quality of workmanship, attention to detail and co-operation has remained exemplary. I would highly recommend Thomann-Hanry® to any company considering an alternative to the traditional scaffolding approach.”

Completed in early 2020, this vast undertaking of painting and redecoration has transformed the outward appearance of the Landmark, providing a window on how this grand dame of Marylebone first looked, over a century ago.

• Location – 222 Marylebone Rd, Marylebone, London NW1 6JQ • Listing – Grade II Listed building • Substrate – Portland stone • Surface area – over 1,000 windows, frames, sills; 50 doors and louvres and ornate metalwork • Project duration – 20 weeks

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PERSPECTIVE

Looking up after locking down Seeing London’s magnificent architecture with fresh eyes

By Claudia Colombo Adoptive Londoner of ten years and marketing manager for building restoration specialists ThomannHanry®, I’ve discovered that absence makes the heart grow fonder in our post-lockdown capital.

with our scaffold-free façade gommage® technique, repairing masonry and painstakingly redecorating metalwork and woodwork. But, as I emerged from Green Park tube station and headed through Piccadilly towards Regent Street, I found myself re-appreciating many of the buildings we’ve worked on and falling back in love with a city I’ve sorely missed during lockdown.

After a few years working in building restoration, it’s all too easy to get immersed in the technical minutiae of façade cleans, repainting and masonry repairs. As a result, one of the unexpected consequences as we start to emerge from lockdown has been a renewed sense of perspective – an ability to stand back, look up and appreciate the breathtaking beauty of London’s historical architecture.

Green Park station itself sits within Devonshire House.

Built in the 1920s, we revived its imposing Portland stone elevations in 2017. Almost directly opposite across Piccadilly, the iconic neoclassical frontage of The Ritz, its belle epoque stylings exuding an inimitably Parisian elegance – Portland stone again, this time paired with Cornish Grey Granite. Strolling up Regent Street, I passed Hamleys, a Grade II Listed façade which we cleaned in just two nights’ work, last year.

Walking through the still relatively quiet streets of central London recently, I was struck by the diversity and overwhelming grandeur of our magnificent capital, a city rich in architectural treasures that span the centuries.

At Thomann-Hanry® we’ve worked on many of London’s landmarks over the last fifteen years, cleaning frontages

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Arriving at Oxford Circus, familiar façades awaited – all buildings we’ve been privileged to restore…

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Lockdown’s been a tough but necessary challenge for all of us. Emerging, blinking, into the light on the other side, just as I did at Green Park station on that bright, sunny morning in May, there’s a sense of hope – and of pride. London is a truly fabulous city, boasting far more than its fair share of magnificent buildings. Working at Thomann-Hanry®, it’s always been about more than simply running a profitable business. It’s about preserving London’s architectural legacy for today, tomorrow and for generations to come.

Spirella House, home to Tezenis, and opposite Alitalia House, now Microsoft’s flagship store. Further along Oxford Street, two more retail landmarks that have benefited from some Thomann-Hanry® TLC – TopShop and Primark. Adding to the non-disruptive advantages of working from hydraulic platforms – invaluable in such a busy retail setting – all of these iconic storefronts were cleaned overnight, effecting an almost magical transformation, out of the public gaze.

Next, heading down Charing Cross Road towards Wyndhams Theatre, which we restored in 2018. Opposite Leicester Square Underground, and another Grade II Listed structure, its impressive Modern Renaissance Portland stone elevations were cleaned in just 8 days.

Minutes away in St Martins Lane, the Noël Coward Theatre is “another one of ours”. Built in 1903, its free classic style is redolent of the era and a fine exemplar of the work of prolific theatre architect WGR Sprague.

Back across Leicester Square, the Prince of Wales and The Gielgud are two more architectural treasures which we worked on – and two more theatreland gems. The Grade II Listed Prince of Wales theatre was built in classic art deco style in the 1930s, whilst The Gielgud dates back to 1906. Seeing them all again stirred great pride in my adoptive home city… stepping back, looking up and drinking in the capital’s fabulous architecture and rich heritage.

It’s the same story across much of central London. Our work on other buildings, such as The Dorchester and all of the other five star hotels in Park Lane, brought us up close and personal with some truly spectacular architecture. And again across in St James’s, where we’ve turned back the clock at some 30 fine historical buildings, restoring each of them to their original splendour.

I finished my walk on the Embankment, looking back up at the neoclassical splendour of Somerset House, the latest addition to the Thomann-Hanry® portfolio of work across central London. Completed in early 2020, the project entailed window repairs and redecoration, masonry restoration and façade gommage® to some 3,200 sq. m. of Portland stone. It’s a fabulous building on an epic scale, epitomising the grandeur and majesty of London’s fine historic architecture.

As you return to the streets of our wonderful capital, take a moment – look up and re-discover the heritage that makes this city so utterly unique.

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SHOUT OUT

Renaissance at Somerset House – the art and the craft of building restoration

History Situated just to the east of Waterloo Bridge and built on the site of a Tudor palace belonging to the Duke of Somerset, the four-wing, neoclassical grandeur of Somerset House was designed by Sir William Chambers in 1776, with construction completed in 1780. Inspired

by Chambers’ attachment to Palladian architectural principles, Somerset House is defined by a giant order of pilasters and engaged columns that span the piano nobile and mezzanine. The complex is elegantly arranged around a large interior court, with two narrow lateral courts. Further Victorian outer wings were added in 1831 and 1856. Until construction of the Victoria Embankment in the late 1860s, the River Thames lapped the South Wing, with three great arches enabling boats and barges to access landing places within the building.

As a showcase for the future of building restoration, there are few structures to rival Somerset House.

Through a combination of meticulous stonework, painstaking redecoration and their patented façade gommage® technique, our building restoration specialists have restored the spectacular South Wing to its original splendour.

The project marks a return for Thomann-Hanry® to the site of previous triumphs, as Somerset House Head of Buildings Mick Figg explained, “Works were carried out two years ago on the courtyard façade and the results were tremendous, so we’ve now engaged in a further programme of works with Thomann-Hanry® to complete the façades here at Somerset House”.

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Somerset House was originally designed as one of London’s first public buildings to exclusively house government and educational institutions, such as the Royal Academy and the Society of Antiquaries. Today, this iconic landmark is an important creative hub – and home to some of the city’s most celebrated names in the arts, from the National Youth Orchestra and the British Fashion Council to the Courtauld Gallery and Institute.

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Building restoration works twelve weeks from late autumn into the early new year. Carried out from mobile hydraulic platforms, the company’s patented process is ideally suited to the delicate restoration of historical structures. Projecting fine powders under compressed air across – rather than against – all surfaces, façade gommage® gently eases off decades of accumulated dirt, with residues lifted away for removal and recycling.

As a highly sought-after venue for summer event hire, it was necessary for works to take place during the winter which, as it turned out, included three massive storms.

Under such inclement conditions, the advantages of façade gommage® being a non-scaffold system were even more self evident than usual.

Moreover, the non-scaffold approach was also key in the decision to appoint Thomann-Hanry® to undertake the works, as Mick Figg explained “…not having to use scaffold on the building really influenced our decision to go with Thomann-Hanry®. It makes the works really flexible compared to having a big scaffold.” Mick went on to point out that the innovative approach offered by the façade gommage® process was another important factor, “We always have to look at new technologies, especially in the conservation world. Façade gommage® is different from the traditional methods and I think it’s very important, like the rest of the world, that we do move onto new technologies.”

As all machinery had to be lifted from ground to terrace level, setting up for the project presented a series of interesting logistical challenges. However, with extensive experience of working in difficult access sites, the Thomann-Hanry® team were able to have their equipment up and running quickly and expediently.

Once the façade gommage® works were complete, attention turned to repair and redecoration of Somerset House’s imposing windows, characterised by monumental pediments and straight heads. The company’s team of expert painters, decorators, stoneworkers and banker masons carried out meticulous repair and replacement work on all window, façade and baluster masonry.

Entailing façade gommage® of the entire elevation, the cleaning phase of the project took place over some

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This is an ongoing programme. The current phase of the project has been concluded and we are scheduled to return in the new year for the cleaning and restoration works on the ground floor area of the river façade.

Watch the project video produced during our works at Somerset House river terrace façade in our YouTube channel: / ThomannHanry

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MADE THE EDIT

12 years on…

Thomann-Hanry® MD Mark Styles recalls the story of our first ever project

“Back in 2008 we received an enquiry from a Mr Moni Dhanjal from Grange Hotels about cleaning their Holborn Hotel. At the time we were busy submitting quotes but had not actually carried out a job in London.

So, with the assistance of Jean Delaporte from ThomannHanry® in Paris, we carried out samples using portable equipment and a hired compressor. To our delight, Grange Hotels confirmed they wanted to proceed with a façade clean.

2008

I still remember the euphoria of getting home and finding an envelope with the Grange post stamp. Despite knowing that it was a deposit cheque inside I couldn’t quite believe it and spent the next few hours just looking at it!

Then followed an intensive period of preparation involving weekly trips to Thomann-Hanry® in Paris to liaise with my colleagues. These trips were generally by the cheaper option, Easyjet – making it the best part of a 21 hour journey door to door.

One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is the permit situation. We were originally scheduled to start in March 2008, but the permits were not issued in time, moving us back to May – but at least the weather improved.

For the start of the project I travelled to Paris to meet up with the team and accompany them on the long journey back to London. Then disaster struck. I lost my phone on the Metro just when I needed it most and, being the days before cloud backups, I had none of my contacts numbers… no one was sure if we were coming or not.

Thankfully, after this early setback, the project proceeded smoothly with everything going to plan. One resplendent hotel, one happy client. Our first UK project was complete, we were up and running…

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2020 2021

By 2020 the Grange Hotel had become a Jury’s Inn and was now being branded as NYX Hotel London Holborn. We were asked to clean the east elevation prior to signage being replaced. 12 years on this was a much more straightforward affair, but made special by the fact that three of the team were there at the start back in 2008. This time the equipment simply rolled out of our Park Royal depot a mere thirty minutes away and, after the project, made the short trip to London Wall to work the weekend on another building clean.

What a contrast with those early days in the spring of 2008!”

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AT HOME

The show must go on Thomann-Hanry® defy COVID-19 to keep it business as usual

As the company’s 15th anniversary, 2020 was expected to be an unforgettable year for Thomann-Hanry®. As it turned out, it’s been memorable for all the wrong reasons. However, despite working under extremely challenging conditions, the Thomann-Hanry® team can look back with some satisfaction and a great deal of pride that they managed to keep it “business as usual” as much as possible throughout 2020.

and the London Wall Buildings in Finsbury Circus, it was very much business as usual for the restoration crews. Add to this the ongoing requirement for essential inspections, surveys, repairs and maintenance – not to mention countless smaller projects – and 2020 proved a busy and productive year, despite the unprecedented challenge of coronavirus.

Coordinating operations through Monday morning virtual meetings, the support team played an equally key role. Not only that, they provided a mutual support network, encouraging one another and boosting spirits through the exigencies of lockdown.

Much of the company’s success over the years has stemmed from tight-knit teamwork – a specialised group of complementary talents working in close harmony to achieve outstanding results in the restoration of historic buildings, as well as the maintenance of more recent structures. With lockdown fragmenting the team, support and administrative staff found themselves working from home, whilst the operational units continued to work on-site. Understandably, coordinating workflows and project management called for a flexible, innovative approach – close, well-established working relationships replaced by virtual collaboration and video conference calls. That clients did not notice the change in working practices is testament to the adaptability and ingenuity of the Thomann-Hanry® team.

“I’m so proud of the way everyone pulled together this year,” commented Managing Director Mark Styles, “Just as in every business sector, 2020 has been immensely challenging, but we’ve come through it stronger. The team have adopted new ways of working that will stand them in good stead in years to come – an ability to operate remotely and coordinate complex logistical projects, not only with efficiency and focus, but also with a smile on their faces.”

So 2021 is upon us, with all the promise and hope of better times to come. Projects postponed by COVID-19 and exciting new assignments. Highlights of the social calendar, such as the legendary Thomann-Hanry® Summer Party. And, 12 months later than originally planned, those long-awaited celebrations of the company’s 15th anniversary.

For the operational personnel, it meant the daily demands of travelling on public transport – especially challenging during the crowded early days of lockdown – and the adoption of even tighter on-site health and safety protocols. When it comes to the maintenance and upkeep of valuable real estate, the show must go on – pandemic or not. With remarkable results on an array of London landmarks, including Sketch, Soho’s Ampersand Building, the K+K George Hotel Kensington, Earls Court

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FROM THE HISTORY BOOK

Epochs and echoes Reading London’s history through its architecture As one of the world’s great capitals, London’s long and illustrious history is reflected by its architecture. Less planned and coordinated in its development than many of Europe’s other great cities, such as Rome, Paris and Vienna, London is a city of extreme urban diversity, with countless architectural gems from every era.

Internationally recognised experts in the revival of buildings, both historical and contemporary, Thomann-Hanry® have worked on many of these wonderful structures and are well-versed in the architectural movements that have combined to shape the cosmopolitan city we see today.

1603-1666 Stuart A hundred years after it was first developed in Italy, classical style architecture appeared in London. Inspired by the work of Venetian Renaissance luminary Andrea Palladio, Inigo Jones championed classical influences through his designs of some of London’s oldest architectural treasures.

Early history

With the Palladian stylings of Tuscan porticos and classical piazzas echoing their Roman origins, early examples include the façade of Banqueting House, Whitehall. Banqueting House was built in 1622 and featured Portland stone, which was to become one of the defining and unifying materials of the capital to this very day.

Londinium London has been inhabited almost continuously since 43AD, when it was the Roman city of Londinium. After the Romans’ withdrawal in the fifth century, the street layout was adopted as the blueprint for Saxon and medieval London, shaping the topography of what is now the City of London. Whilst little evidence remains from the Norman, Gothic and Tudor times, the lineage of this great city, from the early 1600s onwards, can be traced through its wealth of historical architecture.

With its attractive white grey appearance, Portland stone characterises much of London’s architecture and it’s a substrate that Thomann-Hanry® are called upon time and again to clean using façade gommage®, our gentle, dry and non-abrasive cleaning process.

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growth, including districts such as Bloomsbury, Marylebone, Mayfair and Kensington.

Characterised by grand terraces and fashionable squares, neo-classical Georgian architecture eschewed the more flamboyant flourishes of the 17th-century English Baroque movement, instead echoing earlier reference points, including the Palladian influences that first appeared over a century earlier.

1666-1714

Many buildings were constructed from buff-coloured London Stock Brick, and geometrical symmetry and restrained ornamentation were favoured. With examples including Downing Street, Georgian architecture is one of London’s most iconic architectural styles, recognised the world over.

English Baroque The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed 90% of the medieval city, much of which was constructed out of timber. Grand plans were drawn up to reconfigure the city’s intricate street layout with a grid system and wide boulevards, but these were abandoned due to labour shortages, financial complications and the urgency to re-build.

Properties featured large sash windows set in triple bay frontages with attic pediments beneath slate mansard roofs. Gauged brickwork, with roofs hidden behind parapets above attic friezes, and restrained use of rustication, pilasters, columns and cornices to indicate wealth and status… Georgian architecture brought neoclassical stylings back to the fore.

Instead, much of the medieval street plan was retained, with rows of uniformly proportioned terraces – and brick replacing wood as the building material of choice. Kings Bench Walk, Inner Temple, is a fine example, laying down a blueprint for later Georgian architecture across the city.

On more prestigious houses, brickwork was replaced by imported natural stone or stucco render. As with cleaning other historical building materials, stucco calls for great care – gentle treatment is essential to avoid damaging what can be very fragile surfaces.

As with all brickwork, water-based cleaning is less than ideal, as water can force salts and minerals back into the substrate, simply to return at a later date. Moreover, ancient brickwork dating back to the 1600s, requires even greater care – again, façade gommage® is an ideal solution, gently projecting fine powders under compressed air across the surface to ease off and lift away accumulated dirt and grime.

1811-1837 Regency An evolution of Georgian style, the classicism of Regency architecture retained the clean lines and symmetry of its precursor, adding Graeco-Roman references – friezes with high- and low-relief motifs, as well as statuary, porticos and urns.

1714-1811 Georgian

The key difference lay in the more extensive use of stucco, which was painted cream to imitate marble and natural stone finishes. With an eye to the bottom

As the 18th century progressed and Britain emerged as a global trading power, its capital witnessed sprawling

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industrial revolution, new materials like cast iron and steel became increasingly popular. Taking full advantage of the new potential for height and span, notable ironframed structures included St Pancras Railway Station, a spectacular example of ornamentation and ambition working hand in hand.

line, builders also used stucco to conceal what was occasionally rushed, inferior quality construction.

Leading lights of Regency Classicism included John Nash, James Burton and his son Decimus Burton, and their work can be seen in the grand residential terraces around Regents Park. Designed by Decimus Burton, the Athenaeum Club on Pall Mall is a fine example of Regency architecture, with its temple-style frontage, projecting porch, porticos and large pediments.

The Victorian epoch encompassed a number of other architectural movements, resulting in an eclectic mix of building styles, from Renaissance, Queen Anne and Moorish Revival to Neoclassicism and Second Empire influences copied from the French in the 1870s.

Landmarks dating from the period illustrate the eclectic array of architectural movements: the Italianate stylings of the Reform Club; the Victorian High Gothic construction of the Royal Courts of Justice; and the Neoclassic lines of Westminster Bank, to name but a few.

In what was a short but dazzlingly prolific architectural period, the Regency era produced some of London’s best-known landmarks, from the British Museum, the West Front of Buckingham Palace and Fishmongers Hall to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the Institute of Directors.

The revival of the capital’s iconic historical structures – as well as its many lesser known buildings from the Regency epoch – calls for careful restoration techniques.

From an architectural restoration perspective, the Victorian era saw the emergence of another new material – terracotta. Increasingly used as a decorative applique from the 1860s onwards, terracotta was favoured as it was colourful and did not absorb the heavy air pollution prevalent at the time. Fine examples include the rebuilt Harrods and the Natural History Museum.

Today, Victorian terracotta is an extremely fragile and friable material, effectively ruling out aggressive waterbased cleaning techniques. As a result, Thomann-Hanry® have found façade gommage® to be well-suited to cleaning terracotta surfaces.

1837-1901 Victorian The Victorian era saw unprecedented growth in London. As the epicentre, the British Empire, then the largest in the world, affluence and urbanisation in the capital rose hand in hand. A more planned philosophy started to emerge, with suburbs being developed in specific styles for specific classes.

1901-1914

The prevalent style was Neo-Gothic, or Gothic Revival, which coincided with Romanticism, harking back to medieval stylings. Architecture started to adopt more exuberant and ornate detailing, such as tracery, weblike ornamentation on windows and parapets. Symmetrical lines, steep roofs and spires characterised the new breed of building.

Edwardian Having taken a back seat to Neo-Gothic during the Victorian era, Neoclassicism experienced a revival in Beaux Arts and Edwardian Baroque in the first decade of the 20th century – once again, echoes of architecture from an earlier epoch.

The work and influence of John Ruskin and Augustus Pugin were widespread and, in the aftermath of the

Epic, monumental structures evoked the grandeur of the Roman Empire, with rusticated stonework, banded and 39

There was a certain irony in original Georgian houses being demolished to make way for larger Neo-Georgian replacements. Alongside this, Neo-Classicism remained in vogue, particularly on larger projects, such as the Bank of England. Again, Portland stone was widely used, embedding its status as London’s “local stone”.

1925’s International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris brought another architectural style to the fore – Art Deco.

freestanding columns and pilasters with Corinthian or Ionic capitals, and domed roofs and cupolas. Portland stone, eminently suited to such architecture, was widely used – the curving façade of the Regents Street Quadrant being a classic example.

Some of London’s most iconic landmarks were built in the early 1900s – including the Old Bailey, the Ritz Hotel and Selfridges. Another favoured finish during this period was glazed architectural terracotta, also known as “faience”.

First developed in Paris in the early 1900s, Art Deco became fashionable and a popular choice of architectural style for “modern”, progressive businesses such as cinemas, factories, airports and power stations, as well as more established sectors like theatres, hotels and department stores.

More pollution resistant than their predecessor terracotta, these ceramic tiles characterise much of London’s Edwardian architecture, nowhere more so than in underground stations, particularly on the Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines. Further advances in building materials saw the adoption of steel to reinforce larger structures. Widely used in larger public or commercial buildings such as those along Aldwych or Kingsway, steel used in buildings from the first half of the 20th century is the cause of many problems a century later.

Interestingly, London’s interpretation of Art Deco differed from some other major capitals that embraced the movement, such as New York, where materials like glass, vitrolite and chromium were used. In London, traditional Portland stone was fashioned into Art Deco’s groundbreaking forms, creating a singular and distinctive expression of the style that blended the old with the new. It was also a period of renewal and replacement – often to vocal opposition as the UK’s preservation movement gained momentum.

Known as Regent Street Disease, corrosion within masonry clad buildings of this nature can cause extensive damage to the fabric of buildings – a frequent cause of remedial works undertaken by Thomann-Hanry®.

The demolition of most of the Adelphi Terrace, built by the Adam brothers in the late 1700s, caused an outcry, with the original structure replaced by an office block called the Adelphi Building. With its monumental Portland stone façade regarded as a classic example of Art Deco architecture, the Adelphi Building is now itself protected as a Grade II Listed building.

Along with the Bank of England, the Adelphi Building is considered one of the landmark structures of the interwar period and Thomann-Hanry® have been privileged to clean both in recent years.

1919-1939 Inter-war and Art Deco A sombre mood prevailed in the years following the First World War. The austere, simple lines of Georgian architecture re-emerged in the form of Neo-Georgian architecture, with the flamboyance of Neo-Baroque a distant memory.

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1945-1980

1980-present

Post-war and Modernism

Post-modernism

More than a million buildings across London were destroyed or damaged during the Blitz of 1940-41. The aftermath of World War Two saw a period of massive urban reconstruction, with architecture characterised by the introduction of diverse influences, including those of refugee European modernists.

The latest epoch of London’s history of architectural echoes and reactions, post-modern architecture has pushed back against the post-war austerity of modernism. Ironic, playful, even eccentric, postmodernism gleefully borrows and quotes from historical styles.

Led by the work of Berthold Lubetkin and Erno Goldfinger, London’s rebuild was characterised by austere, brutalist architecture, featuring repetition of forms and widespread use of raw concrete. Heavily influenced by Le Corbusier, high rise developments were widespread in the rush to house the masses, with the likes of Trellick Tower and Balfron Tower now regarded as classic examples of the form. After many years of negative perceptions, modernism has undergone something of a re-evaluation in recent times.

With glass, steel and high tech production techniques to the fore, London has seen an explosion of neo-futurist architecture over the last four decades. On structures such as the iconic Lloyds Building, utilitarian and structural elements and processes, usually hidden away, have been subverted as exterior decorative elements. As a movement, post-modernism has endowed London with some truly global landmarks, including The Shard, City Hall, 30 St Mary Axe (“The Gherkin”) and One Canada Square.

The movement is also responsible for some of London’s leading post-war landmarks, including the Royal Festival Hall, at the heart of the South Bank Centre, Europe’s largest centre for the arts, and The Economist Building in St James’s. From a restoration perspective, modernism’s material of choice, concrete brings its own set of challenges.

And yet, amongst all this innovation, some reassuring fundamentals have remained… constructed some 370 years after the Banqueting House was built in Stuart era London, Robert Venturi’s Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery features Portland stone.

Like all of the world’s great cities, London’s history can be traced through its architecture. Unlike many, it’s a history that encompasses an unrivalled longevity and diversity of architectural styles. Cyclical in nature, design movements echo and reinterpret earlier forebears, with styles evolving and advancing, generation by generation.

Highly durable, it lends itself to more aggressive cleaning techniques, such as chemical and water-based processes.

However, concrete has inherent drawbacks for access and scaffolding. façade gommage® is a totally scaffoldfree solution, carried out from an agile hydraulic boom that can access up to 14 storeys high and achieving comparable, if not better, results than conventional alternatives.

At Thomann-Hanry®, the projects we undertake are a constant reminder of how privileged we are to live and work in London.

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WHAT’S ON

“A shining light of excellence in considerate construction”

More success for Thomann-Hanry® in the Considerate Constructors Scheme awards.

Five key categories The CCS award is based on scores in five categories – “Care about Appearance”, “Respect the Community”, “Protect the Environment”, “Secure Everyone’s Safety” and “Value their Workforce”. The company’s performance against these criteria was assessed across two working site visits and one attendance at our head office in Park Royal, NW10, enabling the Considerate Constructors Scheme to witness the company’s working practices at close hand.

…so what’s the secret?

We have been crowned “Most Considerate Company” in the £3.5m to £10m category of the Considerate Constructors Scheme awards for 2020. This accolade follows hard on the heels of Gold Awards in 2017, 2018 and 2019, with the company declared Runners Up twice and outright winner once over that period.

“Looking back, our re-brand in 2017 was a key turning point and represented a giant leap forward for the company”, comments Thomann-Hanry® Managing Director Mark Styles.

“With the new brand in place across our premises, vehicle fleet and staff apparel, the uplift in the sense of pride in the company was immediately tangible. All of the team benefited from an enhanced sense of belonging, and this elevated mindset strengthened corporate unity and purpose throughout the business. It was truly transformational.”

In bestowing the 2020 title, Thomann-Hanry® were highly commended by the CCS on “care and consideration shown towards the public and workforce”, with the award statement concluding, “ThomannHanry® are a shining light of excellence in considerate construction.”

Starting with a Bronze Award in 2015, it’s been an unprecedented run of acclaim for the company in one of the industry’s most prestigious awards. But what is the secret of their serial success?

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The re-brand has also played a significant role in the company’s high score for “Care about Appearance”, with the CCS concluding, “the overall appearance of the

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company at work creates an outstanding and diverse image of construction at its best.” Consistently applied, with staff uniforms and vehicles presented in as close to pristine condition as possible, the strength of the Thomann-Hanry® brand shines through. The clean, modern branding continues to engender a high level of trust and confidence amongst everyone their staff come into contact with, from clients and building occupants to passers-by.

It’s tempting to draw parallels between the transformational effects of the company’s re-brand with those of its patented scaffold-free façade gommage® process which, time and again, restores the exteriors of historic and more modern buildings to their original splendour. For their part, the CCS simply referred to façade gommage® as “an outstanding innovation – unequalled.”

Community and environment Conventional renovation and building works can, by their very nature, be disruptive to neighbouring properties and passing pedestrian and vehicular traffic – not to mention the inconvenience and obstruction of scaffolding. By working from agile truck-mounted Mobile Elevated Working Platforms, all projects undertaken with façade gommage® are completed with minimal negative impacts on their environs – and no scaffolding.

In awarding Thomann-Hanry® 9 out of 9 points in the “Respecting the Community” category, the CCS praised “the exceptional planning and execution of the works made possible by the specialist kit bespoke to the company has virtually eliminated any impact from them”, adding that “commendable steps are in place to cause as little disruption to the public.”

Using minimal amounts of water, façade gommage® also boasts impeccable environmental credentials – a key factor in the maximum score achieved by the company in the awards’ “Protect the Environment” category. Water, however, is only part of the equation.

The judging panel also noted that “the company’s innovative methodology to execute the works is effective in minimising or eliminating environmental forms of air, noise and vibration pollution” and “there is minimal dust created and limited environmental risks from spillages.”

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Safety, welfare and the workforce Thomann-Hanry® also drew high praise for innovation in – and commitment to – all safety aspects across their operations. The inspector applauded the company’s “bespoke pedestrian tunnel designed by themselves” and noted that “training is ongoing to encourage continuous safety improvement, I was astounded by the R&D demonstrated to me at Head Office.” In conclusion, the CCS commended “an outstanding development of exceptional systems and controls to care for the safety of the public, building occupants and the workforce.”

Ultimately, the continued success enjoyed

by Thomann-Hanry® in the Considerate Constructors Scheme awards is a reflection of the company’s commitment to best practice across every aspect of its operations. A commitment which aligns it fully with today’s enhanced industry standards of care not only for buildings, but for people and the environment.

Staff welfare provisions, both on-site and at head office, were also acclaimed. “The company welfare vans provide a level of comfort to rival any site set up, including fridge, microwave, WC, changing area, rest / eating area, and USB jack-points. These are supported by an outstanding, recently refurbished head office recreation and canteen facility that is progressive and homely in its layout and content.” The judging panel went on to note that “the ethos at this company is one of brotherhood.” and concluded, “They provide a support for their workforce that goes above and beyond what an employer might be expected to offer. These are the exceptional qualities the proprietor wants in place to support his workforce, his care for them is apparent.”

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WHAT’S ON

Façade maintenance Whilst we are known for our high profile restoration work on landmark projects such as the Bank of England, Somerset House, Thomann-Hanry® also play a key role in ongoing routine commercial building repairs and maintenance across London and the UK.

Our façade maintenance services

The importance of regular maintenance and inspections – periodic maintenance to façades shall prolong the life span of a building.

• Inspections and surveys

We offer extensive expertise in all aspects of façade maintenance and repair. The most common repair works we carry out are:

• Leadwork • Slating • Asphalt • Liquid roofing

Manage and minimise risks from façade defects

• Mastic replacement • Painting • Stone repair

Whilst it can often be deprioritised on financial grounds, regular façade maintenance is critically important.

Neglected façades can conceal severe structural issues, such as rust and spalling, that can deteriorate undetected. Not only can this result in significantly increased repair costs that could have been avoided by earlier remedial action but, more importantly, also pose a serious risk to the safety of occupants and passers-by.

• Concrete repair • Cladding repair • Gutter clearance • Blocked drains • Glazing • Graffiti removal

Just as with the health of people, the health of buildings is immeasurably enhanced by the early detection and treatment of problems.

A key advantage of working with Thomann-Hanry® is that the entire external refurbishment process is managed in-house – from condition surveys, periodic inspections and permissions to the planning and implementation of all required works by our skilled team.

Safe and efficient access is key With a fleet of Palfinger truck mounted MEWPs and access platforms, all of the required equipment is on hand wherever and whenever needed. Our own Palfinger truck mounts are also available separately for operated hire.

Quickly deployed and causing minimal disruption to the day to day activities within and around a building, our agile access systems extend to heights of 37 metres and avoid the need for costly and unsightly scaffolding. They also enable us to conveniently carry out façade repair works overnight or during weekends and public holidays, minimising disruption still further.

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Whilst Thomann-Hanry® carry out façade repairs and maintenance on Listed and commercial properties of all sizes and ages, all works are unified by one prime objective – prolonging the working lifespan of a building.

In so doing, we help preserve the safety of all who occupy, visit and pass by buildings, thereby protecting the interests and budgets of those responsible for their upkeep.

Get advice: how to tackle problems and when to call in expert help. Regular maintenance helps to spot an issue before it becomes a larger costly one.

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WHAT’S ON

See why your next restoration project should be scaffold-free Scaffolding is slow

Scaffolding is ugly Your building should represent all that you’re about as a business, so the last thing you want is to scaffold it into an eye sore.

With no need for scaffolding, our hydraulic boom mounted cabin can be up and running within two hours of arrival on site. Hassle-free and causing minimal disruption, we can cover up an incredible 500 sq. m. of the façade per day.

By cleaning from a hydraulic boom mounted cabin, we can ensure that it looks its best throughout all works.

So why go at a snail’s pace when you can go at Thomann-Hanry®’s pace?

Scaffolding is prehistoric

Scaffolding is expensive

The old way of doing things is changing. Thanks to our hydraulic boom mounted cabin, we can clean and restore façades faster, quicker and more cost-effectively than ever before.

Instead of disrupting the day to day running of your business, our platforms and truck mounts are fast and discreet, so cleaning takes years off your building without taking ages to prepare.

And being eco-friendly, there’s no monstrous footprint.

And the less time your business is disrupted, the less money you’ll lose.

Contact us to discover how our work processes and systems can minimise disruption and maximise efficiencies by working without scaffolding.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR ANIMATION 47