British Museum South Colonnade, Grade I Listed

During COVID-19 national lockdown PRS were appointed by Curo Construction to provide specialist conservation services for the refurbishment the entire iconic Grade I listed main entrance South Colonnade as well as carry out essential roofing replacement to a considerable area of failing copper roofing, external plasterwork and rooflights along this entire southern range. Given the significance of such an important national asset a considerable amount of actual and virtual consultation was required with Historic England and the London Borough of Camden. Much care was taken to good conservation practice following ICOMOS standards.

Working closely with Curo, a temporary scaffold was quickly installed to cover the entire area and suitable specialist contractors employed to restore the stonework, plaster, copper roofing and glazed lanterns. Much care was needed to develop and install the appropriate rooflights and external electrically operated sun louvre system.

Given the constantly changing procedures during the various lockdown phases, along with the need for adjusting to the world of virtual meetings on such an important heritage project, we are pleased to confirm that the whole restoration could be delivered on budget and on programme, allowing the whole South Range of the museum to be reopened to the public in March 2021.

Russell Torrance, Head of Capital Planning and Programme Management, British Museum said:

“This project will allow sensitive and essential works to be undertaken to the historic fabric of the museum allowing us to carry out building conservation techniques to the South Colonnade. Forward planning allowed us to reduce the visual impact of the project during the period on site with the design and erection of subtle scaffold netting, a digital representation of the pediment and graphics to the temporary hoarding. Curo Construction have responded well at rising to the challenge of deploying a project specific safe system of works within a live operational environment and at the same time worked collaboratively with our team to implement an enhanced level of control measures in response to COVID-19.”