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Exhibition Hall roof JLP01_08_052179
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Historic England
Exhibition Hall roof JLP01_08_052179
COMMONWEALTH INSTITUTE, KENSINGTON HIGH STREET, KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA, GREATER LONDON. The completed roof of the exhibition hall at the Commonwealth Institute from the east showing the glazed clerestory between the central and outer roof sections.
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 24320078
© Historic England Archive
1960s Construction Curves Exhibition Hall Sculptural
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This print captures the completed roof of the Exhibition Hall at the Commonwealth Institute in Kensington, London. The image showcases the stunning glazed clerestory that separates the central and outer sections of the roof. Constructed by Laing between 1960 and 1962, this iconic building replaced the former Imperial Institute to accommodate new facilities at Imperial College. The Commonwealth 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 with its groundbreaking hyperbolic paraboloid roof that stole the show. Designed by James Gardner, this unique structure provided spaces for each Commonwealth nation to showcase their achievements and characteristics, primarily targeting school children as teaching aids for history and geography lessons. The central section of the roof was made from reinforced concrete cast in situ using timber formwork with rough sawn boards to create an intriguing textured surface. On the other hand, precast beams and wood wool slabs were used for constructing the four outer "warps" which consisted of shredded timber bound together in cement paste left visible from inside. Covering an impressive area of 33,700 square feet (183 feet square), this architectural marvel stands between 30 feet high at its lowest point and reaches up to 80 feet at its peaks. Clad in copper sheeting over a layer of vermiculite, it is truly a sight to behold. (Photo credit: A© Historic England Archive)
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