The first stage to address Kerr’s ornately detailed and grand West wing facades, the Stage 10 subject area incorporated the northern tower and facades, the balconies and stone vaulted soffits of the northern offices, as well as the roof and chimneys of these offices.

The entire western wing showed significant signs of structural movement, with previous attempts to restrict the movement evident with steel braces located behind parapets, tie rods and significant caulking of opening joints. During the works, review of the structural movement and interventions led to more permanent solutions being adopted behind the stone, and existing measures tightened or upgraded.

Parapets were removed and reset, notably around the top of the north tower, chimneys were dismantled and reconstructed with additional structural tie members, cornices and mutule blocks were repaired or replaced, with cornices extending 1m from the façade, balcony balustrades were dismantled and reassembled to be structurally sound and façade stonework was repaired or replaced with Gosford Stone. Intricate details in the façade, from dentil blocks and acorns to carved panels below the cornices, sculptural reliefs and turned balusters were all milled offsite using a six axis CNC, before master stonemasons completed the intricate task of hand carving the stone to the final form.

Tiled balconies, metalwork vents, timber gables and windows were all restored, bringing the façade back to it’s original glory. Addressing water ingress into the building, all roofs were inspected, repaired or replaced with new standing seam copper; gutters were replaced throughout with new expansion joints reducing the impact of building movement, sumps were added throughout, and internal downpipes were inspected by camera and relined back to the junction at ground level.