Nomura House

The present building known as Nomura House, 1 St Martin’s-le-Grand was built between 1890 and 1894 as the headquarters of the General Post Office. The first stone of the new building was laid on 20th November 1890. The street called St Martin’s-le-Grand takes its name from the monastery or college so called, which was founded in the eleventh century.

Internals

Gallery Of Work

NOMURA HOUSE

Winter 2003

The present building known as Nomura House, 1 St Martin’s-le-Grand was built between 1890 and 1894 as the headquarters of the General Post Office. The first stone of the new building was laid on 20th November 1890. The street called St Martin’s-le-Grand takes its name from the monastery or college so called, which was founded in the eleventh century.

Henry Tanner, architect and surveyor in the Office of Works, designed the new building to take full advantage of its island site, with frontages to three streets and to gardens to the north. Faced entirely in Portland stone, its most prominent features were the corner towers, now capped with mansard roofs. It housed the General Post Office’s headquarters staff and meetings from 1895 to 1984. The Nomura Group bought the site in 1986. The building was then rebuilt internally behind the original façades, which were retained and cleaned.

Szerelmey are presently working at Nomura House executing contracts both internally and externally. The internal works package to the floors and walls of the east reception and lift lobbies are being carried out for Spectrum Projects Limited under the management of Hornagold & Hills on behalf of the client, Nomura Properties plc. This complex package being detailed by Szerelmey from the design by the project Architects, Swanke Hayden Connell, includes a variety of differing stones, which are being obtained from a selected number of suppliers. The walls, columns and pilasters up to dado height are being faced in Rocherons Dore Fonce with a combination of polished and honed finishes, above dado height in Chauvigny MB Limestone with a honed finish, with the bases of the attached columns being formed in Emperador Dark (Marron) marble.

The Crema Marfil Limestone floors with a honed finish have Trani Ruggine insets to form the chequer pattern with an Emperador Dark (Marron) marble border.

The external works package, which is being carried out under the direction of Hornagold & Hills for the client, Nomura Properties plc incorporates the complete external cleaning of the facades to all four external elevations of this imposing building. After completion of each section of cleaning Szerelmey are carrying out detailed surveys and providing a schedule of noted defects to the stonework, which are then cross-referenced on drawings. Following approval, Szerelmey’s restorers are executing all the necessary repointing and insitu stonework repairs.

Tags: Masonry, stonework, cladding, marble, granite, hard landscaping, internal flooring,  Expert stone masonry london.