About Cullum Welch House
Cullum Welch is a seven-storey block of flats, located on the western part of the site and directly abuts Crescent House. Cullum Welch House formed part of the further development of the estate after extension of the site in 1954. Construction began the following year. The building contains 72 studio flats, spread out across six floors and sits above a double-height ground floor containing storage and service cupboards for the flats on the floors above. The flats are arranged in mirrored pairs and open-air corridors along the north facade lead to flat entrances.
The building is Grade II listed by Historic England. Special features of Cullum Welch House includes:
Its position as the transition point between the lighter treatment of the maisonettes and the more robust appearance of Crescent House. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the living/sleeping area. The exposed aggregate of the concrete shelf and planter, both of which have a polished finish internally. The exterior faces were painted grey at a later date. The wide pre-cast concrete planters at the floor level. The shelves with holes for flower pots at the sill level. The open concrete balustrades on the access galleries. The kitchen windows painted tomato red.
Here is an illustration highlighting the different special features of Cullum Welch House.
Window conditions
Studio Partington has undertaken a visual survey of a selection of windows at Cullum Welch House. After over sixty years of use, the condition of the windows across the estate has deteriorated. The aluminium is showing signs of deterioration, leaving the frames exposed and vulnerable.
All the windows and their integrated ironmongery appear to be original, with the aluminium frames exhibiting signs of weathering and stiffness. Although it is clear that many of the aluminium windows are damaged or decaying in parts, the extent of repair or replacement works that are required is unknown and a thorough condition survey is required to confirm this.
Here are some images of the window conditions:
The Options
There are two core options for how the window improvements can be approached: refurbishment or replacement.
Refurbishment is the option which would result in the least amount of change from a heritage perspective, but it also means that there is the least amount of improvement from a thermal performance/resident comfort/ease of use perspective.
It's worth noting that low impact does not mean minimal disruption for residents during the construction phase. Refurbishment requires expert craftsmanship which can be time-consuming and may not negate the need to remove and/or replace the existing windows.
Replacement is the option which would result in the most change, from a heritage perspective and also a thermal performance/resident comfort/ ease of use perspective.
It's worth noting that although this option is high impact, it does not mean it will be the highest level of disruption to residents. When planned effectively, replacement can be a time-efficient solution.
Downloads (opens a PDF window - warning, some of these files are large)
Click here to access the full report on the windows -
click here to access the report.