The Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College
Award Winning
Award Winning
Location: Greenwich, London
Client: Greenwich Foundation
Architect: Martin Ashley and Hugh Broughton
Value: £3.5m
Awards:
2019 RIBA Awards – RIBA London Award
Old Royal Naval College is one of Britain’s most important Baroque architectural ensembles, located within the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.
Built on the site of a Tudor royal palace, the Grade I listed buildings include the celebrated Painted Hall, often described as the “Sistine Chapel of the UK.” Since 2003, SFK Consulting has worked extensively across the estate, contributing to more than 70 conservation and structural projects.
The restoration and adaptation of historic structures within this highly protected heritage site presented significant technical and conservation challenges. The Painted Hall contains over 3,700 m² (45,000 sq ft) of fragile painted surfaces created by Sir James Thornhill in 1727, requiring specialised scaffold systems with minimal loading on historic floors. Structural alterations within the Queen Mary and King William Undercrofts also demanded careful engineering to protect historic masonry vaults and the structurally sensitive Nelson Stairs.
The project successfully restored the Painted Hall and enhanced visitor facilities within the King William Undercroft, creating new reception, café, retail and interpretation spaces.
During excavations, previously unknown Tudor brick vaults from the palace of Henry VIII were uncovered and incorporated into the visitor experience with a specially designed bridging structure. Supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project received a RIBA National Award 2019.
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