After the fire: Inside the Somerset House rebuild with Construction Management Magazine

Mick Figg FCIOB, remembers exactly where he was on the day Somerset House caught fire in August 2024.

Two years on Mick, who is Head of Buildings at Somerset House Trust, spoke to Construction Management on that initial reaction to the blaze, the aftermath and the rebuild.

Good people behind good projects

As trusted long-standing partners of Somerset House, Coniston were well placed to help guide and deliver the rebuild and restoration of the iconic Grade I listed building.

In fact, the importance of the relationships behind the project is a key feature of the article. As Mick explains “These were people we’d worked with for years. When you have those relationships, you have people you can rely on when something happens. ”

That continued throughout the following 18 months. As the full extent of the fire and subsequent water damage became clear, the team had to keep communicating, adapting and finding solutions together, often while design, approvals, procurement and construction were all moving forward at the same time.

Inspecting the fire damage. Image: MSMR

Supporting custodians of iconic buildings

Many of our clients are custodians of landmarks, and we never undervalue the responsibility that comes with being handed the keys to such special assets.

It’s that passion as a custodian that shines through in Mick’s interview, as he explains that he hopes other heritage clients and construction managers can learn from the Somerset House fire.

“Part of what I’m trying to promote now is making sure custodians of historic buildings are given the investment they need to protect them for the future,”

“I always say I’m only the custodian of this building for a small part of its life. My responsibility is to leave it safe for future generations.”

The fire damaged roof

Lessons learnt

There are plenty of lessons in the article about responding to an incident of this scale, particularly in a Grade I listed building. Good fire protection, ongoing investment and detailed knowledge of the building all matter, but for us, it also reinforces something we have always believed; the value of good people and teams that trust each other. This is especially true when taking on the responsibility of protecting historic buildings for future generations.

Read the full article here. It’s a great read.

Somerset House restored