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Exhibition hall roof JLP01_08_061302
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Historic England
Exhibition hall roof JLP01_08_061302
COMMONWEALTH INSTITUTE, KENSINGTON HIGH STREET, KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA, GREATER LONDON. An elevated view looking north and showing progress of the construction of the Commonwealth Institute exhibition hall roof.
Laing built the Commonwealth Institute between October 1960 and October 1962 to replace the former Imperial Institute that was to be demolished to make way for new facilities at Imperial College. The building consisted of a four-storey administrative block housing a library, restaurant, board room and conference hall and a separate two-storey b lock containing a cinema with an art gallery above, but the focus of the project was the exhibition hall with its hyperbolic paraboloid roof, the first of its kind constructed in Great Britain. The exhibition, designed by James Gardner, provided spaces where each of the Commonwealth nations could showcase their achievements and characteristics, primarily to school children as teaching aids to enliven history and geography lessons.
The shell arch of the central roof section was of reinforced concrete, cast in situ using timber formwork with rough sawn boards to provide a textured internal surface whilst the four outer " warps" were constructed using precast beams and wood wool slabs, blocks of shredded timber bound together in a cement paste and left visible from the interior. The entire roof was then clad in copper sheeting over a layer of vermiculite. It covers an area of 33, 700sqft, 183 feet square with the central section 93 feet square and ranges between 30ft high at its lowest and 80ft at the peaks
Historic England is the public body that champions and protects England's historic places
Media ID 24320034
© Historic England Archive
1960s Construction Curves Exhibition Hall People Roof Work
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases the remarkable progress of the construction of the Commonwealth Institute exhibition hall roof. Taken from an elevated viewpoint, it offers a mesmerizing view looking north towards Kensington High Street in Greater London. Laing, a renowned construction company, undertook the ambitious task of building the Commonwealth Institute between 1960 and 1962. The purpose was to replace the former Imperial Institute and create new facilities for Imperial College. The institute comprised a four-storey administrative block with various amenities and a separate two-storey block housing a cinema and art gallery. However, it was the exhibition hall that stole the spotlight with its groundbreaking hyperbolic paraboloid roof – an architectural marvel never before seen in Great Britain. Designed by James Gardner, this innovative exhibition space provided each Commonwealth nation with an opportunity to showcase their achievements and characteristics. It primarily served as teaching aids for history and geography lessons targeted at school children. The central section of the roof featured a shell arch made of reinforced concrete cast using timber formwork, creating an intriguing textured internal surface. Meanwhile, precast beams and wood wool slabs were utilized for constructing the outer "warps" showcasing shredded timber bound together in cement paste visible from within. To complete this masterpiece, copper sheeting was used to clad the entire roof over a layer of vermiculite. Covering an impressive area of 33,700 square feet (183 feet square), this magnificent structure ranged in height from 30 feet at its lowest point to 80 feet at its peaks. This awe-inspiring photograph is part of Historic England Archive's collection - capturing both architectural excellence and historical significance.
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