Structurae

The Savoy is London’s landmark hotel located on the Thames Embankment between Waterloo Bridge and Westminster. It was closed in December 2007 for a complete refurbishment and will reopen soon.
One major part of the refurbishment — the underpinning of the existing cantilevering lattice trusses, from which the south façade is suspended — was published in ”The Savoy Hotel enhancement part I: south façade” in the 2/2010 issue of this journal. Other key parts of the refurbishment are the installation of a new lift above Savoy Way, including extending the lifts up to the 8th floor, and the installation of a large ornate glass dome above the hotel’s ”Thames Foyer”. To incorporate the dome, the existing pitched truss roof had to be temporarily supported, the tension member had to be severed and a new box structure, supporting the huge glass ornate dome, had to be inserted. The structural work undertaken is described here.