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Case Studies > National Audit Office

Featured Case Study: National Audit Office, London

National Audit Office

West Leigh Ltd, a member of the Steel Window Association have recently carried out a refurbishment on the National Audit Office in London. The project required the manufacture and installation of almost 700 W40 and W20 windows, doors and screens.

This very demanding project was orchestrated by top architectural companies HOK International and T P Bennet. The W20 and W40 sections were employed by SWA member - West Leigh, fabricating new frames for all of the openings in the property, which is situated within a very prominent London area.

Jean Letherby, one of the architects for HOK who was involved in the project, recalls;

“Imperial Airways originally commissioned the NAO offices in 1939, and they very much incorporated the Art-Deco style of the times. In the ‘60s, the two wings were added.” She went on to comment that the use of the W20 and W40 steel windows were considered appropriate for the refurbishment of the older structure..."

“This was a large and particularly challenging project and West Leigh performed well on it”.

W20 windows contain both vertical and horizontal pivots, and also side hung casements and bottom hung vents - all aspects of which exactly matched the Grade II listed part of the building.

As a direct result of the two “wings” of the property not being listed, the architects had more creativity as to what to suggest to the planners, and subsequently decided on a dramatic, large pane fixed frame. The structural concrete columns were masked by reflective spandrel panels.

Actuators were also linked to the building’s fire protection system by being fitted to the staircases; providing smoke detection in the event of a fire.

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