Senate House: July 2008 update
From the Central University

Refurbished, rewired, restored.

The main task undertaken this month was to continue the lengthy task of checking and confirming the standard of electrical cable installation carried out to date.

Much of this cabling is carried in voids beneath the floor boards. Therefore, once an area has been checked, the flooring can be replaced and building works can begin.

Studwork walls

Decoration has now started throughout South Block and the studwork walls have been completed. These are plasterboard partition walls that delineate the new layout.

No new areas of works have been opened up, although electrical surveys of Macmillan’s restaurant has started to ensure that the existing wiring is still to standard.

This month saw the installation of our 12th kilometre of IT cabling into the building and all the basement electrical panels.

Taking care with Corex

The striking architecture of Charles Holden’s Senate House is not only apparent on the outside, but also in the attention to detail inside. The South Block had the most money and attention lavished on it when Senate House was constructed and it contains the main ceremonial rooms.

Great care is being taken during the refurbishment project to protect and preserve the furniture and fixtures in this listed building. For example, before works move into any new area, the timber panelling and door frames are covered in Corex sheeting, which protects them from the knocks, scrapes and dust that are part and parcel of any building site.

Integration

Another challenge is to integrate work on ancillary projects around the main works, as and when they crop up. This involves negotiating access to the required areas of South Block.

Two examples of this have cropped up in the last month. Re-roofing has begun on the third-floor roof of South Block. This includes laying new felt and improved insulation, which will cut down on heat loss from the building.

Secondly, the relocation of Human Resources to the old Information Office on the ground floor of Senate House South Block has meant reconfiguring the space. The area has been refurbished and divided into seven offices and two open areas: one at the front and one at the back with a connecting corridor. All offices have glass-fronted partitions onto the corridor as in Stewart House.