89 Great Russell Street under scaffold and sheeting during the roof replacement

Case study

British Museum

A full roof replacement at 89 Great Russell Street, a Grade I listed building on The British Museum estate, delivered for CBRE in nine weeks.

Location: London WC1
Size: 50,000 sq ft
Programme: 9 weeks
Client: CBRE

Project overview

A heritage roof, rebuilt in a live museum estate

Appointed by CBRE to deliver a highly sensitive refurbishment at 89 Great Russell Street, the project involved the full replacement of the roof structure on a Grade I listed building forming part of The British Museum estate. The work demanded meticulous planning and execution within a live heritage environment of national significance.

The project was delivered to programme within nine weeks, with minimal disruption to the surrounding Museum environment.

Rebuilt lead-clad dormer with its original arched windows, under scaffold

New battens laid across the roof slope ready for slating

A Hox Box roofer fixing battens on the stripped roof

Full roof replacement
Renewal of the existing roof fabric across the property, replacing the structure rather than patching it, on a Grade I listed building in daily use.
Handcrafted Welsh slate
A handcrafted Welsh slate roof laid over new battens and underlay, matched to the original 19th-century character of the terrace.
Traditional lead-clad dormers
Dormers rebuilt and lead-clad using traditional detailing, with the original arched glazing retained and reinstated.
Heritage compliance
Every intervention carried out to historic building conservation standards, coordinated with heritage consultants and conservation officers.
Working around the Museum
Scaffold, access and deliveries planned around the Museum's operational constraints, keeping disruption to the surrounding estate to a minimum.