Bonhams.

Phase 1 saw refurbishment of the 1,820 m² Blenstock House, providing temporary accommodation for those displaced by subsequent demolition of the other existing buildings. The final stage was Blenstock House’s further refurbishment as staff and services were transferred into the new building.

Our biggest challenge was the scheme’s location directly above Crossrail’s Bond Street station box. This was constructed concurrently, necessitating constant liaison between both project teams. The effects of unloading the ground during demolition and subsequent reloading as the new building was constructed had to be modelled to demonstrate that the two projects would not impact detrimentally upon each other.

With a basement level, three storeys of double-height salerooms plus a further level of office space, the concrete-framed building could have resulted in unacceptably high loads imposed on the new station. We have optimised the structure to keep weight to a minimum while delivering the column-free spans required for the large auction spaces.

No piled foundations were permitted, so the building sits on an extra-thick concrete raft directly above the Crossrail station box to minimise any differential settlement across the site.