Kings College Music School sits within an existing complex of Victorian red brick structures and comprises three individual but linked buildings nestling within a group of existing, and protected, trees. The masonry, which is a key design feature within the building as well as the exterior, is comprised of Charnwood Hampshire Red bricks laid in an English bond with hydraulic lime mortar finished with a 3mm recess and churn brushed.

In addition to the construction Lee Marley Brickwork was responsible for the structural design of the walls and the supply of materials. Whilst elegant and understated the building required a high level of technical skill, both in terms of traditional bricklaying techniques and modern methods of construction, that is rarely seen on the majority of new build projects.

The large openings featuring flat brick slip arches was also a managerial challenge – particularly one that had an original stone crest set into the centre of the arch on site. The logistics of such large units required significant planning to account for access constraints, the protected trees and lifting into place. This was particularly so of the units that we installed in the interior of the building in the latter stages of the internal works.