Coniston have proudly carried out the celebrated restoration project at the Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. The project involved the conservation of the paintings and the restoration of the Hall. Within the Painted Hall 3700m2 of painted surfaces were conserved and the internal environment stabilised to dramatically reduce future degradation. Measures include draft proofing, solar shading and replacement heating system.

A complex scaffold was erected within the Painted Hall to allow access to the building fabric and the paintings. The scaffold was specifically designed for the space, using our specialist supply chain, to accommodate the unique architecture of columns and steps within the Hall. In January 2017 the scaffold was completed to allow access to the paintings within the domed vestibule, the first time the paintings have been accessible since the 1950’s, allowing Conservator, Francesco Roselini access to the paintings. This scaffold also allowed visitors to witness the conservation works at close quarters.

The first phase of works involved major structural alterations of the building fabric to create a new multi-use space, catering kitchen, cafe and shop. The initial phase of works took approx. 44 weeks, at which point Coniston were required to vacate the site to allow the conservators access to the paintings. Following the meticulous restoration of the paintings Coniston continued work to complete the final refurbishment and fit-out of the Painted Hall.

The hall was reopened to the public in March 2019 and the project has received widespread recognition, including being the winner of two RIBA 2019 Awards, and being announced as The Restoration/Conservation Project of the Year 2019 at the Museums + Heritage Awards.