Quest House, Croydon

Our frame design comprised of 300x300mm timbers, slotted at each end and connected together by stainless steel brackets, bolted at each junction.

We made the frame in our Wiltshire yard, with all timbers cut to the numbers rather than framed in the yard.  Cuts were made using slot cutters and chainsaw mills guided by jigs and templates.  Each section was then colour coded and stacked ready for site.

Quest House presented a very tight site with tricky access – as you’d expect in a built-up area of London.  There was very little space onsite, with the flat roof of the building itself used as storage during the build.

Posts were lifted into place by means of a tower crane, with each ring beam assembled and bolted together at ground level and lifted into place.  Each of the six levels was accessed by means of scaffolding, raised a level at a time with the oak balconies.

See more Davy-Smith projects.
Photography: Lyndon Douglas