Perega preserves history and enhances care at St Bartholomew’s Hospital

We are currently undertaking a significant roof refurbishment project at the historic St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London, a site renowned for its heart and cancer care, with roots dating back hundreds of years. This ongoing work, which we began in 2018, demonstrates our expertise in navigating the complexities of roof replacement within a Grade II listed building.

The project primarily involves the refurbishment and replacement of the roof on a late 1800s building. This presented unique challenges due to the hospital’s age and its status as a listed building. Sam Coleman, our Associate Structural Engineer, highlights the intricate nature of the work: “Accessing the roof to remove and replace it has been a significant logistical challenge, especially considering the surrounding buildings, some of which are not owned by the Trust.”

Adding to the complexity, the top floor of the building houses a pathology museum, jointly run with Barts and Queen Mary University of London, containing delicate and irreplaceable samples. Our approach prioritised the preservation of these samples and the original fabric of the building. Sam says: “We are being incredibly meticulous with our planning to ensure no disturbance to the museum and to prevent any damage to the historic structure.

“We’re also ensuring the new roofing materials, which are slightly heavier, can be comfortably supported by the existing old truss structure.”

To carry out this justification we have undertaken a suite of materials testing and have identified the truss as being of high quality wrought iron, known as “best best”. From taking careful measurements of the truss using traditional methods and using the 3d point cloud data, we modelled some of the more highly stressed connections to confirm their capacity for the additional loading.

Our engineers are adhering to best industry practices such as CARE principles for delicate, old wrought iron structures, ensuring the integrity of the historic building while introducing modern elements. This includes replacing old Georgian wire glass with double glazing, significantly improving energy efficiency. Our work is giving this historic listed building a new lease of life, preserving its original fabric, and even restoring elements that have been altered over the years.

Collaboration has been key to the project’s success. We’re working closely with specialist heritage architect, Giles Quarme, and contractor, DBR, both of which possess extensive experience in heritage building conservation. This early engagement with the contractor, at RIBA Stage 4, has been crucial for addressing logistical difficulties and planning the construction work effectively.

We have a long-standing relationship with Barts Health NHS Trust, having worked on other key sites such as Newham and Whipps Cross. This deep understanding of the Trust’s operations and requirements has allowed our engineers to contribute to enhanced healthcare provision by creating a more energy-efficient roof construction and ensuring a structurally sound environment for the hospital’s continued operation.

You can find out more about our expertise in the healthcare sector here.