BOURNEMOUTH’S ICONIC ECHO BUILDING REFURBISHED WITH ALSAN AND SOPRADALLE

In September 2021, the Grade II listed Echo Building on Richmond Hill in Bournemouth started undergoing refurbishment, and now the project has been completed. Home to the Daily Echo editorial team for many years, this iconic Art Deco structure built by Seal and Hardy Architects in the 1930s has been transformed into a four-floor private and shared office space, with break-out areas, meeting rooms, a café, screening room, cycle store and gym, among other facilities. To insulate and waterproof the roof and terraces, Eclipse Roofing and Waterproofing opted for SOPRATHERM T, SOPRALENE and ALSAN. Main contractor Hawker Projects installed SOPRADALLE CERAM on top of the waterproofing layer. Soprema covered the entire roofing system under one warranty. GETTING TO WORK ON A LISTED BUILDING Prior to the refurbishment, Soprema’s technical team visited the site for a detailed survey of the existing roof, to ascertain any areas of water ingress, to check the condition of the substrate and to investigate the roof build-up. Based on this information, we provided advice on where the dilapidated roof structures needed to be stripped all the way to their original structural substrate, and where a new waterproofing layer could be applied to the existing finish – as well as recommending specific systems. Because the 20,000 sq. ft. Echo Building is listed, its (instantly recognisable) sandstone façade had to be carefully preserved. The structure’s large flat roof posed yet another challenge. The roofing areas now make excellent lookouts from which employees can enjoy stunning views over Bournemouth, but for building owner THAT Group to be able to offer local businesses the option of private offices with roof terraces, Eclipse Roofing and Waterproofing and Hawker Projects had to take great care not to exceed the old roof’s load bearing capacities. Fortunately, Soprema was able to provide a lightweight solution. INSULATION AND WATERPROOFING BY ECLIPSE As a Soprema-approved installer, Eclipse Roofing and Waterproofing has many years of experience working with our insulation and waterproofing solutions. For the Echo Building, the team opted for 120 mm of SOPRATHERM T, and a hybrid waterproofing system consisting of SOPRALENE and ALSAN PMMA waterproofing. The liquid resin served to waterproof intricate details in accordance with Safe2Torch. Shane Young from Eclipse explains their choice: “SOPRALENE is a very cost-competitive and durable product that we have used on several other sites. We always got excellent support from Soprema – before, during and after the project.” SOPRADALLE INSTALLED BY HAWKER PROJECTS Hawker Projects consulted with Eclipse to come up with an aesthetic finish that would be compatible with the waterproofing system. Daniel Hawker: “We were asked to put slabs on top of the roof. Via Eclipse, we got in touch with Soprema, as they had a product that worked well with the system: SOPRADALLE CERAM. That Soprema manufactures the entire system, along with the finishes (in a single-source supply), is an advantage and commercially viable. Moreover, the experts are keen to come on site and are very invested in the project, giving technical advice and inspecting the work. This kind of close collaboration greatly reduces the chance of issues arising later on.” SOPRADALLE CERAM are monolithic stoneware slabs of 600 mm x 600 mm that can be used with paving support pads or directly on a separation layer. They are resistant to frost and temperature fluctuations and have a high resistance to bending. Moreover, the slabs have an anti-skid structured surface (meeting swimming pool standard DIN 51097). Daniel Hawker found them easy to install: “Weighing only 17 kilograms per piece, the slabs were easy to handle. The system allows water to drain easily, and the slip resistance of the tiles is great. I thought it would be hard to get hold of the necessary material, but Soprema turned out to have everything in stock.” SOPRACOVER WARRANTY Lastly, the team at Hawker Projects appreciated the fact that Soprema could not only provide the insulation, waterproofing and slabs as a complete system, but also offer a warranty on the work as a whole. Daniel Hawker: “When the project was nearing completion, a technical expert from Soprema came out to inspect it. With his approval, we finished the work, after which there was another round of inspection and the warranty was issued. The client now has the reassurance that, if the roofing system is maintained as per the Soprema guidelines, they will be covered by the SOPRACOVER Warranty.”

For more information on BOURNEMOUTH’S ICONIC ECHO BUILDING REFURBISHED WITH ALSAN AND SOPRADALLE talk to SOPREMA UK