Weber External Wall Insulation System Chosen For Listed Phoenix Cinema Restoration

Published by Jackie Biggin for Weber in Housing

The weber.therm XM External Wall Insulation and render system has been specified and approved for the Phoenix Cinema, in East Finchley, restoration project. Nicholas Weedon, of HMOW Architects, based in nearby Highgate, determined that the Weber External Wall Insulation (EWI) system would achieve all the requirements of improved insulation and thermal performance while showing great sensitivity to aesthetics.

The Phoenix Cinema has attracted film enthusiasts for 100 years and is one of the oldest cinemas in the UK, and also one of London’s leading independent cinemas. It has become a centre for film buffs across the Capital and has TV and film personality Michael Palin as Patron.

The £1million Centenary restoration project has been nearly five years in the planning. The building is listed Grade II and there has been major conservation issues to combine improved insulation and energy efficiency of the structure whilst maintaining the glorious aesthetics of the building’s facades.  A café, external balcony to the front façade, and extensive fire alarm systems have been incorporated in this sensitive refurbishment to bring it up to 21^st century standards.

“The main reason for selecting the weber.therm XM External Wall Insulation system was that it allowed excellent coverage of the damaged brickwork where age and weathering had caused some surface spalling. Similarly, the original render had some damaged areas. These were all removed and repaired where necessary so that the insulation could be mechanically fixed to a sound, if not too attractive substrate.”

“Then we had to mimic the render patterns to meet the conservation requirements. There were many, very detailed drawings prepared and also some marking-up on site so that intricate details of the old render could be reproduced accurately. For example, we found a simple 5mm raised section in the render and this had to be replicated after the insulation was applied. I have used external wall insulation before on a church extension, and having worked in Germany for several years where the system has been very popular for some time, I have got to know the system and its attributes very well,” says Mr Weedon.

The main contractor for the Phoenix restoration is the very experienced Durkan team and the render and insulation application work has been carried out by Primars of Edgeware where Julian Turner has directed the work on this prestigious project. “This has been a small but very complex renovation and we have been keen to show our skills in meeting the architect’s stringent brief. Large areas of the brickwork and render had to be repaired to give a decent fixing to the EPS insulation. Expanded Polystyrene insulation was used especially to give the highly accurate straight edges required to delineate the attractive relief panels as in the original finish. We had to increase the length of the fixings to obtain a sufficiently strong mechanical hold.  We used weber.plast TF as the render finish coat in white which makes the building really sparkle.  Some areas of render are also having additional paint covering to match the terracotta colours of the brickwork in areas where the architect requires a matched visual treatment.”

Please visit www.netweber.co.uk for information about weber.therm External Wall Insulation systems and render products, or call 01525 722170 and register for a copy of the Weber Render Solutions Handbook in hard copy or CD format.