The Tower of London preserved with lime mortar
Contents |
[edit] Superbloom
Superbloom is a natural new landscape surrounding the Tower of London. For the first time, earlier this year, visitors were able to walk through the moat and admire the twenty million flowers that filled and transformed the Tower’s moat.
To support visitors in accessing this area and the tower’s moat, a new ramp was needed.
“We were asked to supply labour and the material for the construction of a new access ramp into the moat,” explains Richard Flegg, Managing Director, Kent Conservation & Restoration. “The total number of bricks needed for the project was between 30,000 to 40,000, which we laid with a premixed lime mortar from Lime Green.”
The length of the ramp allowed visitors to descend into the depth of the moat below, offering an accessible route for the spectacle’s thousands of visitors.
[edit] Finding the matching product
The Tower of London, like many other historic buildings, used lime mortar in its original construction.
“We knew that preserving the history of the building, as well as the nature of the building, would be a challenge,” comments Derek March, Managing Director, Brick & Lime Supplies.
“We were given the analysis of the original mortar to spec, so the mortar we used would be as close to the original as possible. For this, we sent analysis to Lime Green, who quickly produced a sample that we then supplied to our contractor, who was happy with the match. Lime Green’s hydraulic lime mortar matched the original tested specification perfectly, and considering the size of this project, it was great that mortar was supplied in tonne bags. This made it easier for us to handle less units, and we could carry out the work much more easily.”
[edit] The right strength for the job
“As well as the colour of mortar, we needed to find the right strength and right aggregates,” continues Derek. “If you think of the Tower of London, it is a world heritage site built in 1066, so it was extremely important that everything was done accurately. Lime Green’s mixing and computer-generated programmes that evaluate the strength prediction performances of various lime mortar meant we could ensure this was the right product before we began.”
[edit] A straightforward product
“There are challenges in any construction project, from delays to general account issues, but it is always good to have a quality product you can rely on to make the project go smoothly,” comments Richard. “Thanks to the main contractor for working with us to get all of the materials into to the moat using their machinery, it was not a difficult job.”
“Lime Green provides good quality hydraulic lime mortar, which I have tried and tested for 20 years, and I have never had any issues or problems with the product,” concludes Richard.
“The Tower of London is a prestigious landmark building, and we wanted high-quality, long-lasting products from a reliable supplier,” comments Derek. “We love working with them because they are so innovative, and we really do feel privileged to work with the team on such great projects.” Lime Green has been a key supplier for other heritage projects, such as Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. It is known for promoting the various uses of lime in building work, which stands the test of time.
“It was a pleasure to see our Hydraulic Lime Mortar used on such a prestigious project, and we absolutely love to see so many projects using lime products. We have loved working with Richard and Derek on the Tower of London Superbloom moat project, and we cannot wait to work with them again,” expresses Simon Ayres, co- founder and Managing Director, Lime Green Products.
This article appears in the CIAT AT Journal, Spring issue number 145 in the article "Preserving the Tower of London’s heritage using lime mortar".
--CIAT
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Basic brickwork replacement.
- Defects in brickwork.
- Dismantling of bricks for reuse.
- High lime low alkali glass.
- Hot-mixed mortars: the new lime revival.
- Hydraulic lime.
- Hydrated lime.
- Lime concrete.
- Lime mortar.
- Lime plaster.
- Lime run-off.
- Mortar.
- Non hydraulic lime.
- Pointing.
- Putty lime.
- Soda-lime glass.
- Spalling.
- Specifying brick.
- The influence of geology on English brickmaking,
- The use of lime mortar in building conservation.
- Types of brick bonding.
- Types of bricks.
Featured articles and news
Cladding remediation programmes, transparency and target date.
National Audit Office issue report on cladding remediation.
HBPT and BEAMS Jubilees. Book review.
Does the first Labour budget deliver for the built environment?
What does the UK Budget mean for electrical contractors?
Mixed response as business pays, are there silver linings?
A brownfield housing boost for Liverpool
A 56 million investment from Homes England now approved.
Fostering a future-ready workforce through collaboration
Collaborative Futures: Competence, Capability and Capacity, published and available for download.
Considerate Constructors Scheme acquires Building A Safer Future
Acquisition defines a new era for safety in construction.
AT Awards evening 2024; the winners and finalists
Recognising professionals with outstanding achievements.
Reactions to the Autumn Budget announcement
And key elements of the quoted budget to rebuild Britain.
Chancellor of the Exchequer delivers Budget
Repairing, fixing, rebuilding, protecting and strengthening.
Expectation management in building design
Interest, management, occupant satisfaction and the performance gap.
Connecting conservation research and practice with IHBC
State of the art heritage research & practice and guidance.
Innovative Silica Safety Toolkit
Receives funding boost in memory of construction visionary.
Gentle density and the current context of planning changes
How should designers deliver it now as it appears in NPPF.
Sustainable Futures. Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living
More speakers confirmed for BSRIA Briefing 2024.
Making the most of urban land: Brownfield Passports
Policy paper in brief with industry responses welcomed.
The boundaries and networks of the Magonsæte.
Comments
[edit] To make a comment about this article, click 'Add a comment' above. Separate your comments from any existing comments by inserting a horizontal line.