Rochdale Town Hall is a nationally significant building, widely regarded as one of the UK’s finest examples of Victorian gothic architecture. Designed by William Crossland and opened in 1871, it is seen as a symbol of the town’s industrial standing in the textiles trade, and today the local council aims to make it fully open and available for the use and enjoyment of all residents and visitors.
Having fallen into a poor state of repair in recent years, urgent action was necessary to reverse and prevent even further decline to the building. A two phase restoration and transformation project commenced in January 2021, with the Promat fire resistant glazing element being part of the second phase due for final completion late 2023.
A large gothic window of the Grade One listed Rochdale Town Hall has been given a 21st century fire protection upgrade using Promat SYSTEMGLAS® as part of the multi-million GBP restoration project.
The window is a key feature of the newly created Bright Hall, a new community space on the second floor of the 19th century building designed to be used for smaller events such as weddings and functions, which has been converted from offices.
Working in conjunction with fire safety consultants Jerry Quayle Associates, a design was agreed using the Promat SYSTEMGLAS® Ligna fire resistant glazing system to provide an EI60 integrity and insulation level of protection. Installed adjacent to the gothic window, this separate timber framed window perfectly matches the shape of the original pointed arch to minimise its visual impact.
To ensure the window would provide assured protection, the SYSTEMGLAS® Ligna EI60 timber framing features PROMASEAL®-PL graphite-based intumescent seals, and the glass is an external grade product offering additional UV protection.
Promat UK and its approved installer Rated Solutions worked together closely to ensure the new window would match the gothic shape of the existing window, which involved multiple site visits to obtain accurate templates