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Hyperbolic paraboloid formwork JLP01_08_060599
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Hyperbolic paraboloid formwork JLP01_08_060599
COMMONWEALTH INSTITUTE, KENSINGTON HIGH STREET, KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA, GREATER LONDON. Workers constructing the timber formwork for the central hyperbolic paraboloid roof section of the exhibition hall at the Commonwealth Institute.
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
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Media ID 24320026
© Historic England Archive
1960s Construction Curves People Work Sculptural
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures the intricate construction process of the hyperbolic paraboloid roof section at the Commonwealth Institute in Kensington, London. The workers can be seen diligently constructing the timber formwork for this groundbreaking architectural marvel. Built by Laing between 1960 and 1962, the Commonwealth Institute was designed to replace the former Imperial Institute and serve as a hub for showcasing achievements and characteristics of various Commonwealth nations. The exhibition hall, with its unique hyperbolic paraboloid roof, was a focal point of this project. The central roof section featured a shell arch made of reinforced concrete cast in situ using timber formwork with rough sawn boards to create an interesting textured internal surface. The four outer "warps" were constructed using precast beams and wood wool slabs, giving them a distinct appearance from inside. Covering an impressive area of 33,700 square feet, with the central section measuring 93 feet square, this magnificent structure ranged in height from 30 feet at its lowest point to 80 feet at its peaks. To complete its grandeur, copper sheeting was used as cladding over a layer of vermiculite. This print serves as both a testament to the skilled craftsmanship involved in creating such an architectural masterpiece and as a reminder of the historical significance that it holds within Greater London's landscape.
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