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Formwork construction JLP01_08_073399e
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Formwork construction JLP01_08_073399e
Restell Close, Greenwich,
Greater London. A Sectra block of nurses flats under construction on Restell Close, with the steel formwork in place for the next storey to be built.
This residential block for nurses was one of three 10-storey, H-shaped blocks, built by Laings Construction Company for the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, using the Sectra system. The flats were built on a high point just off Vanbrugh Hill with views over Greenwich, Deptford and the River Thames, providing self-contained flats of three and four rooms for nurses who worked at Greenwich Hospital. The blocks were named Jenner House, Lister House and Norfolk House. In 2007, two of the blocks were demolished and Norfolk House was reclad and subsequently renamed Leamington Court.
Sectra was a French prefabricated steel formwork design for flats which John Laing and Son Ltd acquired the British rights to in 1962. It was a method of using precision made
steel formwork for the placing of structural concrete in tunnel sections in room unit widths and ceiling heights. The units were bolted together in rows on special tracks, with the concrete poured to form the walls and floors in one operation. The formwork was internally heated to accelerate the hardening of the concrete in the mould and the sections were then lifted into position by a tower crane on the construction site
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Media ID 24561397
© Historic England Archive
1960s Construction Flats People Work
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures the intricate process of formwork construction in Restell Close, Greenwich, Greater London. The image showcases a Sectra block of nurses flats under construction, with the steel formwork in place for the next storey to be built. These residential blocks were part of an ambitious project undertaken by Laings Construction Company for the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. Comprising three 10-storey H-shaped blocks named Jenner House, Lister House, and Norfolk House, these buildings provided self-contained flats with stunning views over Greenwich, Deptford, and the River Thames. The innovative Sectra system was employed for this construction endeavor. Acquired by John Laing and Son Ltd in 1962 from its French originators, Sectra revolutionized prefabricated steel formwork design. This method involved using precision-made steel formwork to pour structural concrete seamlessly into tunnel sections within room unit widths and ceiling heights. The units were meticulously bolted together on special tracks before being filled with concrete to create walls and floors simultaneously. To expedite the hardening process of the concrete within the mold, internal heating was applied to each section. Finally, a tower crane gracefully lifted these completed sections into position at the construction site. Although two of these remarkable blocks were later demolished in 2007, Norfolk House underwent recladding and emerged as Leamington Court—a testament to its enduring architectural significance. This mesmerizing photograph is a testament not only to skilled craftsmanship but also to innovation that shaped urban landscapes across Britain's history.
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