Buro Happold supports the restoration of The Savoy Hotel

09/11/2010 撰稿人：: Chris White

Practice on team behind one of the most ambitious restorations in British hotel history

The Savoy reopened its doors on 10th October 2010 having closed in December 2007 for a restoration program that encompassed the entire building from the iconic entrance and the American Bar to Savoy Grill and the 268 guestrooms and suites.

As structural engineer, international multi disciplinary engineering consultancy Buro Happold played a key role in the restoration which included the complete remodeling of the legendary River Restaurant, the addition of a luxurious new Royal Suite and 38 river suites and guestrooms with stunning views over the River Thames.

New to the hotel is the ‘Beaufort Bar’, a glamorous Art Deco bar that will offer champagne, cocktails and cabaret and, Savoy Tea a new bijou tea shop selling Savoy tea, accessories and fresh patisserie.  Within the ‘Thames Foyer’ a stunning new winter garden metal gazebo has been constructed beneath a newly installed ornate glass dome.

In 1910 the hotel’s south façade was extended by 2.5m using an arrangement of steel roof trusses and hangers, creating larger rooms and the UK’s first hotel with en suite bathrooms.

The extension meant that large sections of The Savoy’s original façade walls were retained from within the rooms and, as part of the restoration to remodel and upgrade the rooms, the remaining load-bearing intrusions had to be taken out.

This required the façade and trusses to be jacked up onto temporary frames while the existing masonry walls and columns were removed before being lowered onto new steel columns.