The Challenge
A central component of the project was the recovery and restoration of several parts of Leighton House that had been ‘lost’ through changes made during the twentieth century. A first floor balcony and an extension to the original house, built in the 1880s and supported on cast iron columns, have now been fully restored and re-integrated, and the grand Entrance Hall has been re-instated to its original form. New elements introduced include a helical staircase across 3 floors, which is enveloped by an 11 meter hand-painted contemporary mural.
The Outcome
The project had multiple funders and stakeholders, and we were able to tailor our approach and reporting to fit with their governance requirements.
Our experience of projects which blend heritage and restoration with new and upgraded facilities was invaluable, as we were able to engage with specialist contractors and craftspeople both prior to and through the tender process and beyond to manage the cost of the improvements within the Clients cost envelope.
The new fully accessible visitor and collection care facilities have allowed the integrity of Leighton House to be preserved whilst opening it up for generations to come.