Building the future while preserving the past with façade retention

History Centre, Durham

Project Overview

Location	History Centre, Durham
Sector	Building
Products	Mass 25

Helping to combine the old with the new, our temporary works expertise proved critical on the new development ‘The Story’ at Mount Oswald, required to support the Grade II listed manor house while a contemporary extension was constructed.

The challenge

Complex façade retention

Supporting and protecting the existing façade and roof of a Grade II listed heritage building during refurbishment posed significant structural and safety challenges.

Structural Coordination

The project required careful alignment between the temporary propping, existing walls and joists, and new structural elements—demanding high precision and expert design.

Limited Site Space

The limited working space within and around the manor house increased the complexity of installation, requiring an efficient temporary works solution that ensured safety without obstructing ongoing construction.

Our solution

Our team designed a bespoke temporary works solution using our versatile Mass 25 Towers to provide critical support to the existing building façade and roof during refurbishment. The modular system, built from galvanised cold-formed steel, offered both strength and adaptability, capable of supporting loads of up to 340kN per leg.

Early collaboration with Kier’s team enabled us to create an optimised design that effectively retained the heritage façade while supporting internal structures, all with reduced steel usage and improved on-site efficiency.

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In addition to supplying the equipment, our in-house installation team was responsible for carrying out the on-site setup of the propping system. Their expertise ensured the installation process was completed safely and efficiently, with minimal disruption to ongoing works.

Kier’s team praised our collaborative approach and practical problem-solving on site, highlighting how the solution improved safety, saved space, and contributed to the smooth delivery of this sensitive heritage refurbishment project.

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