Refurb Projects October 2020

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Sustainably improving Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
“Sustainability, safety and strength were key for us when carrying out the remedial works at the Globe Theatre,”
says Deborah McGhee, head of building operations at Shakespeare’s Globe.
The Globe Theatre stands in the
London Borough of
Southwark, boasting an
affluent history, with the
current structure being the third to
stand on the site.
Originally constructed in 1599,
the first structure was destroyed by
fire in 1613. The second structure
was built following the blaze but
was subsequently demolished in
1644 after the closure of all
theatres. This left the site empty
until 1997, when the third, and
current, Globe Theatre was
constructed.
The current structure is around
STO creates balanced acoustics
for high profile building
AStoSilent Distance acoustic
system has been used to
create a balanced and
practical acoustic environment for a
major London landmark building.
Originally built to house the
Financial Times newspaper, Bracken
House was the first in England, and
the second post-war building, to
receive listed status. The premises
have recently been extensively
refurbished in a project designed to
bring together the two original
sections of the building, while
preserving the original style and
character. This involved the
installation of the StoSilent Distance
acoustic system in the atrium area,
to create an environment that
functions efficiently from an
acoustic perspective, while also
blending seamlessly with the area’s
new, updated appearance.
3,000ft in circumference and
includes approximately 250 tonnes
of lime mortar. It was built using
traditional materials and techniques,
notably featuring the first thatched
roof in London since 1666.
A need for improvement
As part of general maintenance
of the theatre, and to ensure the
building was safe and could stand
the test of time, an on-site survey of
the lime plasterwork at The Globe
was required. With around 2,000
individual lime panels, of various
shapes and sizes, the job was a
challenging one.
Artisan Plastercraft, a plaster
The atrium was opened up, with
walls removed on each side to create
a more streamlined space. The
inclusion of large areas of glass
demanded the use of an acoustic
design which would allow the
atrium area to meet the various
challenges of modern-day buildings
for sound attenuation/reverberation
and increased speech clarity, despite
the large volume of ambient noise
that would be generated.
The StoSilent Distance suspended
ceiling installation was completed
with the two-part, hand-troweled
StoSilent Top system, which consists
of a StoSilent basic basecoat and
StoSilent top finish. This is a soundpermeable
finish which produces an
ultrafine surface with a slight crystal
shimmer.
www.sto.co.uk
restoration and conservation
specialist, was commissioned to
conduct the inspections and make
recommendations as to the remedial
works needed.
Selecting suitable, sustainable
methods
Artisan Plastercraft conducted a
full survey of the building in August
2019, which involved inspecting
each wall panel and assessing and
documenting its condition. 135
defective panels were identified,
which all needed to be removed and
replaced.
“To us, it was important that
traditional and sustainable building
methods were used throughout the
remedial works,” says Deborah.
“We had used Lime Green’s
products previously, and continue to
work closely with the company to
ensure we have access to the highest
quality and most suitable materials
for any given job,” says Russell
Brewis, head of marketing at Artisan
Plastercraft.
Artisan Plastercraft provided a
selection of materials for the team
at the Globe Theatre to choose from,
with Lime Green’s Ultra and Lux
being selected for use.
The repair method required
Artisan’s craftspeople to selectively
remove the old, defective lime
plaster and laths from panels, then
apply lime plaster as a three-coat
system over new, hand riven laths,
with a Tallow lime wash to finish.
“After visiting Lime Green’s site
and seeing how it operates, we were
more than happy to use their
materials for the remedial works. It
is a very impressive facility,” says
Deborah.
Phase one of the repair work
began in March 2020, with work
being carried out on the external
and internal staircases and walkways
of the North Tower and East Tower.
Following this, phase two
commenced in July 2020, with
repairs being conducted on the
building’s external sides.
Under ordinary circumstances,
the Globe Theatre is incredibly busy,
as it is open 364 days per year. This
makes it difficult to carry out any
construction work during the day.
For lime plaster in particular, this
was a challenge, as it needs the
correct temperature and the right
conditions to be applied effectively.
COVID has laid the path to allow
remedial work to be carried out
more quickly and more in-depth
analysis to be conducted, with the
theatre being closed for a significant
period of time.
“We wanted to use a product
which is traditional, yet
environmentally friendly, and really
stands the test of time. Lime Green
Ultra achieves exactly that,” says
Deborah.
The Globe Theatre’s location, on
the bank of the Thames, means the
building is subject to a lot of
movement. Lime’s flexibility allows
for this movement, and its rigidity
provides protection against
weathering.
“Working with the Artisan team
and Deborah at the Globe Theatre is
a real pleasure. It’s great to be
involved in a project with people
who share the same beliefs as we do
around the importance of
sustainable, traditional building
methods,” says Simon Ayres, cofounder
and managing director at
Lime Green Products Ltd.
“We were really happy with the
workability of Lime Green’s products.
The pre-mixed bags are quick and
easy to work with,” says Russell.
“Thanks to the durability and
longevity of the products, a high
level of insulation can be
maintained for years to come.
For more information on the
products used within this project,
visit www.lime-green.co.uk or call
01952 728611. Additionally, visit
www.artisanplastercraft.com or call
01959 571135.
4 OCTOBER 2020, REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS