Westminster Hall

We were appointed after construction works had already started and were required to put in control measures to enable this complex project to be completed successfully.

Under the terms of the listed building consent granted to the designs, it was essential all electrical cabling entering the building was completely concealed from the view of people both inside and outside of Westminster Hall. This created a problem around the option to recreate the roof’s previous dormer windows, which had once filled Westminster Hall with natural light until they were removed and covered over with slate.

To provide the infrastructure needed to supply the new lighting (to be fitted at a later date under a separate contract) and the fire alarms and voice alarm system, lead guttering on the exterior of the roof needed to be lifted to access a void which would be used to route cables across and into Westminster Hall. Having to lift the lead guttering and subsequently replace it once the cables had been installed was not ideal since it required noisy works to be carried out to the exterior of the roof.

Designs aspired to recreate the effect of the previous dormer windows using electrical panels which would light up when switched on but appear semi-opaque when inactive. However, these were not accepted within the terms of the listed building consent and had to be removed, with our responsibility being to coordinate agreement of this variation between the client, contractor and cost manager.

Disruptions from noisy works to the exterior of the roof were managed by putting in a provision for works to be stopped whenever noise disruption was reported by occupants of adjacent buildings. This had implications for delivery within programme but was the only way that works could be delivered within the environment of the busy Parliamentary Estate.

Gary Buick, director at Pick Everard, said: “Westminster Hall is a key thoroughfare to the Palace of Westminster and used by hundreds of people daily. Over the past few years, restoration and maintenance works have been carried out to ensure the hall remains safe for public use. The roof lantern atop the hall has been carefully dismantled and restored using traditional craftsmanship. Hidden since 2005, the ornate timber interior of the lantern can be seen once more.

"Not only can the public experience Westminster Hall in its original glory, but the beams and lantern shouldn’t require further conservation work for another hundred or so years, providing a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

Westminster Hall’s grand roof, which was commissioned by Richard II in 1393, is the largest medieval timber roof in Northern Europe.

It is home to 13 oak hammer-beams, weighing some 660 tonnes, that were largely manufactured off site and transported to Westminster by barges and horse-drawn wagons for assembly.

Gary said: “When essential repairs and cleaning were being carried out on the roof, 360 litres of dust was removed from each roof truss. A fully automated fire detection and voice-activated alarm system was also installed as part of the works. The equipment has been obscured from view – remaining sympathetic to the traditional design but updating the technology to suit modern standards and safety requirements.”

Part of the project’s vision was for Westminster Hall to remain open to the public throughout the construction works, subject to closures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“One of the biggest challenges was to maintain health and safety and the operational requirements of the hall so the public wasn’t inconvenienced by the works,” said Gary.

"This involved installing large vinyl canvases that included photos of the windows before the temporary, complex scaffolding was put up. Not only did these cover up the supporting framework but, as lots of tourists visit the hall, it meant they could still experience the oldest parts of Westminster rather than seeing a construction site. A lot of the work was also undertaken out of hours during evenings and weekends so as not to disrupt the sitting of the House of Lords and House of Commons.”