St Saviour’s Church, Knightsbridge
Take Two, 2010/12

Following our successful conversion of the Church in 1999 (http://www.bartonengineers.co.uk/st-saviours-church-house.html), new owners acquired The Church House in 2009, and then contacted us to discuss the possibility of increasing the size of the existing basement and to remodel the superstructure accommodation. A scheme was developed to double the basement size so as to cover the entire plan area of the Church. This was made more difficult than the original 1999 conversion because of the presence of the new community centre in the remaining half of the original building.

A temporary works scheme was developed to provide temporary support for the three naive columns with high level foundations. This required the inserting of temporary piles and steel beams to prop the naive columns during the excavation process. Complex jacking procedures were used to prevent any settlement or differential movement occurring within the existing Church structure. The perimeter walls were underpinned, and new light wells were created around the perimeter of the building using small diameter bored piles.

The scheme is currently on site and should be complete by early 2012.

Architect Christopher Smallwood Architects