The Royal Observatory in Greenwich sits within a Grade I-listed landscape and forms part of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a Scheduled Monument with exceptional heritage value, and one we know well, having worked on the restoration of Sir Christopher Wren’s Flamsteed House almost 30 years ago, and more recently providing civil engineering support for the Greenwich Park Revealed project.
We are now working with Jamie Fobert Architects and Purcell on the competition-winning scheme that forms part of the Royal Museums Greenwich’s First Light initiative - the next chapter in reimagining the entire Royal Observatory Greenwich site.
This new work is about more than restoring the buildings. It’s about reconnecting and opening up the site - improving accessibility, visitor flow, and educational spaces - while making sure that any structural interventions we suggest are both sensitive to the historic fabric and in keeping with the architectural and client vision. We’re working on a number of new-build additions and refurbishments of historic buildings, bringing a focus on low embodied-carbon design. Our approach focuses on structural solutions that are practical, durable, and ultimately beautiful, with crafted details and exposed elements that show how the building works. The engineering is not hidden, but contributes to the character of the site.
This is a place that has helped shape our understanding of space, time and navigation, and the project engineers are thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to bring technical precision to a deeply historic setting.
