Hammersmith Police Station

Location

London

Main contractor

Wates Construction

Sub contractor

Kovara Projects

Architects

Raymond Smith Partnership

Products

Corium Brick Cladding

Cast Stone

Overview

Built in the 1930s, Hammersmith Police Station is a Grade II listed building that has recently been refurbished as part of a £60m regeneration and restructure of West London policing.

Designed by architects Raymond Smith Partnership and managed by Wates Construction, the project included the construction of a basement car park, stables for police horses and a new building to accommodate additional office space and a custody facility.

Corium brick cladding (manufactured by Wienerberger) and Portland wet cast stone were carefully selected for this project, as it was important that the facade was in keeping with the original building and the local vernacular. Taylor Maxwell worked closely with Raymond Smith Partnership to specify and supply the wet cast stone, manufactured by Vobster Architectural. Corium brick cladding, manufactured by Wienerberger is a popular choice for developments where the traditional look of bricks is desired, but minimal construction time onsite is required. Both the Corium brick cladding and wet cast stone were expertly installed by Kovara Projects.

Concept

Maintaining the character of the police station was a key factor when planning and designing the refurbishment. Vaulted ceilings that had been covered up for years were reopened and the original flooring, staircases and police lanterns were restored.

To ensure that the new building tied in with its surroundings, a full-sized mock-up panel of the facade, including the windows, was designed and manufactured. This was to guarantee that all stakeholders were pleased with the appearance of the selected materials and confident that the facade complimented the neighbouring architecture.

Completion

To achieve the architects design vision, brown coloured Corium brick tiles were selected for the facade of the new Hammersmith Police Station building. For the window surrounds dark blue Corium brick tiles were selected, along with Portland wet cast stone. The architects chose Portland wet cast stone for the window surrounds as it is a durable material that creates a striking and decorative statement, whilst tying in with the case stone details featured on surrounding buildings.

Since completion, 1,000 members of staff and police offers have moved into what is now the main policing hub in the area. Along with 38 new custody cells, there is an enlarged waiting area and 24-hour front desk.

To find out more about Corium brick cladding, click here.

To find out more about cast stone, click here.