Roofing company Full Metal Jacket has finished restoring the dome roof of Smithfield’s Poultry Market in London after four years of meticulous repair works.
The restoration, under the management of main contractor Equans, involved the the enhancement of the roof’s thermal performance. Improvements included replacing the original 0.5mm copper sheets with more durable 0.7mm ones, and the installation of high-performance, double-glazed rooflights.
Architect TP Bennet & Son designed the Poultry Market’s dome roof in the early 1960s, with structural engineering by Ove Arup & Partners. At 70m by 40m, it was the largest single-span concrete roof in Europe at the time of construction.
Chris Johnson, 83, a former apprentice with the original roofing team in the 1960s, this week led the ceremony to install the last copper sheet circle.
Sir Robert McAlpine is currently building the new home of the Museum of London in the Old Smithfield Market.
