Originally built in the early 1900s and located on Parliament Square, opposite the House of Parliament, the Court has recently been refurbished.
Designers Feilden and Mawson, supported by Foster and Partners, worked alongside main contractors Kier Wallis to restore the grade 2 listed building. Work was done on the moulded timber beams of the structure as well as the stained glass windows, many of which bear the armorial glass of the Lord Lieutenants of Middlesex.
A total of 450 separate window frames ranging from hinged casement, vertical sash, fixed and horizontal slidin gwere fitted. This included a number of gothic arches and three large shaped acoustic screens between the public gallery and court rooms.
Selectaglaze’s glass was also specified to provide heat insulation, while achieving a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good.’
A spokesman said: “The external windows could not be modified and hence secondary glazing, a reversible adaptation to a listed building, offers an ideal solution. The use of a hardcoat low emissivity glass within the secondary window lowers the U-value, a measure of heat loss, to below 2.0 and meets current building regulations for new buildings.
“Sound insulation was equally important for the proceedings of a court set so close to one of the busiest parts of London with its constant noise from heavy traffic and crowds of tourists. The Selectaglaze windows glazed with a thick laminated glass can reduce noise levels by more than 45dB and will also markedly improve the security of this sensitive building.”
