Daily Express Building, Refurbishment

One of the challenges faced by the architect was recreating the spectacular foyer, largely from photographs, and upgrading the facade without changing its appearance.

The client was receptive to the proposal that Williams' exposed profiled concrete office ceilings should be left uncovered, but it was clearly necessary to greatly improve the thermal and acoustic performance of the glazing – a single layer of glass in steel frames.

What Williams created was not strictly a curtain wall – clear glazing alternated black glass (vitriolite) panels, which were a facing on the concrete frame. Many of these panels were in a poor state and some had been badly repaired after the superficial war damage.

The building now has its own lift and central service core – the original, very narrow lift shafts have been reused as air vents – though the impressive oval staircase has been retained and restored (with original light fittings replicated and its bold colours reinstated) and extended to the fifth floor.