Preserving the historic Finsbury Health Centre
First phase of Finsbury Health Centre restoration works completed. Historic elements of the architecturally significant building preserved. £1.5m investment could aid downgrading of building’s risk rating and enable patients to continue to access care.
NHS Property Services has announced that the first phase of restoration works at the historic, grade-one listed Finsbury Health Centre in Clerkenwell have been completed.
The building, designed by Berthold Lubetkin in 1935, opened to patients in 1938. It received partial restoration works in the 1990s but required further repair due to water damage.
Building owners NHS Property Services (NHSPS) commissioned Avanti Architects and worked alongside NHS colleagues at North Central London Integrated Care System (ICS) to initiate remedial works on the beloved medical centre, with the first phase of works completed in May this year.
A total investment of £1.5 million will be injected into the restoration scheme, including £1.4m from NHSPS and £100k CIL funds from Islington Council. And following full heritage assessments the first phase has been completed, undertaken sympathetically to respect the building’s unique significance whilst keeping disruption to services and patient access to a minimum.
Works on the roof were carried out in 2021, during which a waterproof membrane was applied. And the recently completed works at Finsbury Health Centre include repairs to the façades (two elevations at the front and two at the rear of the building) replacement windows, curtain walling and tiling to the clinical wings of the building and replacement of heavily damaged glass blockwork screens and render/concrete repair at the rear.
Belinda Cameron, Senior Capital Manager for London for NHS Property Services, said: “Following on from the roof works in 2021, the initial phase of facade replacement at Finsbury Health Centre is now complete. This marks a key milestone in the restoration of the health centre and will ensure that this seminal building is preserved for future generations.”
She added: “This phase of the programme has addressed the water ingress around the windows at two elevations at both the front and rear of the building. We understand that Finsbury Health Centre has a deep connection to the local community, and we have worked closely with the ICS and building occupiers to ensure that there has been minimal impact on patient services throughout the project.”
Appointed architects Avanti have carefully sourced materials to replicate the building’s aesthetic, preserving the historic look and feel. Once complete, these works will result in an improved environment for both patients and NHS colleagues alike.
Previous restorations in 1990 were led by architect, John Allan, an authority on the building and friend of original architect Berthold Lubetkin. Maintaining these ties, works have been led by Avanti Architects’ director and project leader, Fiona Lamb, with consultancy input from Mr Allan.
The building currently features on the Historic England Heritage ‘At Risk’ Register, however following the delivery of the first two phases of works, NHSPS is liaising with Historic England regarding the downgrading of the risk rating of the building, with the aim to remove it from the At Risk Register entirely, in the longer term.
Fiona Lamb at Avanti Architects said: “It is a special privilege to maintain our long connection with Finsbury Health Centre. The work undertaken to date has involved every type of repair and upgrade required at the Centre, and we look forward to overseeing the further phases needed to achieve the complete restoration of this internationally renowned building.”
