Paddington Lawn Area Remodelling and Enabling Works are designed with the vision to bring to life an exciting shopping experience whilst acknowledging the history of the station, creating an enjoyable ambience for both retailers and travellers alike. New retail outlets have been built in addition to refreshing the existing commercial space. This includes new lighting, feature cladding and ceilings. Retail units have modern and visually appealing glazed entrances and cross walls.

Project Value: £11m
Programme: 12 months
Form of Contract: NR10
Consultants: BDP / Sweett Group
Client: Network Rail
Key Trades: Civils / Steelwork / Partitions / Mechanical / Electrical / Fire alarms and sprinklers / Security / Glazing / Stone repairs / Telecoms / Ceilings

Project Scope

The Lawn has a prominent position at the southern end of the main concourse of the station; situated between the Grade I listed station concourse and the Grade II GWR Hilton Hotel and is separated into a partial basement, ground, mezzanine and first floors.

Spence has been working alongside Network Rail and multiple contractors since July 2015, updating and refreshing the retail, restaurant and public spaces within the Lawn. We have undertaken the reconfiguration and expansion of the entire demise, dividing works into two distinct phases – starting with the enclosed units and finishing with the open.

The works have included the removal of one escalator from the station concourse and the installation of a new staircase to the mezzanine level; the removal of retail units at ground floor level; the extension of retail units on the south side of the Lawn; new free standing retail units and the subdivision of an existing catering unit at mezzanine level into two self-contained catering units.

The ground floor opens onto the main concourse and consists of free standing retail units. New dramatic frontage has been added to the ground floor units with those facing the concourse extended forward with glazed partitioning which rises to the underside of the mezzanine level. Each glazed partition has been carefully detailed around the Grade I listed columns. The eastern perimeter of the Lawn’s retail units are on both the ground floor and mezzanine levels. The western perimeter has three levels of retail units – first floor is open to the existing and retained saw-tooth, glazed roof.

The domestic water services drainage and sprinklers have all been extended in order to accommodate the refurbished retail units. This includes the installation of deluge sprinklers to the new glazed partitions. The lighting and comms and data systems have been replaced throughout and the power distribution removed with a new transformer dedicated to the Lawn retail units installed.

All the works were undertaken with the intent to respect the history of the station and its close relationship between architecture and engineering. The refurbishment has carefully considered the station’s significant features and surroundings including the 1930’s stone columns and end gables of the train shed, the GWR Hilton Hotel, MacMillan House and Tournament House.

Problem/Solutions

The refurbishment at Paddington Lawn has carefully considered and planned around the public, neighbouring businesses and existing tenants with a significant focus on noisy works liaison with the adjoining Hilton Hotel.

All works have been undertaken with phasing and planning put in place to keep disruption in and around the station to a minimum.