Webner - RIBA South Conservation Group: Brickwork repairs to Crystal Palace Subway

 

 

 

Brickwork and Conservation? You had me at bricks (Yes, I have my nerd card). This was such a wonderfully deep dive into the world of brick conservation.

Crystal Palace Subway is a Victorian (1865) brick-built building. Built for the upper classes to have easy access to the former Crystal Palace exhibition hall.

 

 

The talk covered the two types of brick used. Red and Gourd. I was particularly interested in the differences between the hardnesses in these bricks and how that affected their ability to withstand weathering. How the bricks were sourced and what you need to consider during restoration.

 

There was also talk about the clerk of works, which was particularly poignant as my grandfather was very proud of owning this title. I have come to understand that they are the eyes and ears of the architect. They regularly visit the site to asses quality and are available for the construction crew to ask questions.

 My Notes:

 

Further research and bibliography:

 https://www.crystalpalaceparktrust.org/pages/crystal-palace-subway (Image taken from here)

 https://www.bromley.gov.uk/site-search/results/?q=crystal+palace&startNum=1

 https://www.thomasford.co.uk/

 https://www.instagram.com/cpsubway (Images taken from here)

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Crystal-Palace-building-London

https://www.archdaily.com/397949/ad-classic-the-crystal-palace-joseph-paxton (Image taken from here)