Main contractor delivery of the deep-retrofit envelope package at the locally listed Tate Institute in Silvertown, for ReSpace, on a Newham Council–owned building.
The Tate Institute (1887) is locally listed for its social history, originally established by Tate & Lyle as a community hub and now owned by Newham Council. ReSpace leads the revival; our role was Phase-1 envelope delivery within a multi-stage programme to bring the building back into everyday civic use.
Before appointment, we were part of the bid team with ReSpace, supporting the submission to Newham Council with early build-cost advice, programme and sequencing input, and reviews of critical surveys, risks, and logistics. This work shaped the scope, budget and methodology that carried through into Phase 1.
Our brief was to make the building safe, dry and energy-ready as a first step in its return to community use. We carried out careful demolition and strip-out, stabilised and renewed rotten structural elements, replaced failed roofs, installed a new glazed ridge rooflight, opened up and replaced boarded heritage windows with double-glazed timber sashes, and upgraded the envelope for insulation and airtightness to establish a continuous thermal line. We re-roofed and reclad where specified, improved natural ventilation, laid new screeds, coordinated external access changes and prepared service zones and interfaces so later phases could plug in smoothly.
The approach combined conservation with a fabric-first upgrade: breathable insulation to walls and roof, improved airtightness and thermal-bridge mitigation, and durable metal roofing and cladding in lower-significance areas while safeguarding higher-significance fabric. The package was planned to accommodate low-energy systems (PV/ASHP readiness) and to hand over a secure, weather-tight shell suitable for community-focused fit-out.
2024/25
Type
Shell & Core
Status
Phase 1 Complete
Client
ReSpace Projects
Location
Silvertown, London
Size
900sqm