St Paul’s Cathedral: Equal Access Project

This project is the first major intervention to the outside of St Paul’s since it was built 300 years ago. The new stairs and ramp are considered as ‘temporary’ in that they can be removed and the original staircase structure remains underneath. Some 20 years in the planning With access required for wheelchairs this ramp gives a safe and shallow entrance to the north portal.

The ramp is made of Portland limestone , granite for the floor and the complex rail in bronze. It is designed to last for many years and mellow over time.The architects specified aluminium bronze which is usually used in machine parts but is very strong. The fabrication is from milled solid blocks and either tubes or solid. To bend the rail it was heated to Red hot before rolling in small stages to the complex curvature. It was effectively made by one artisan Gianni Bianco whom I’ve worked with for 25 years during the covid pandemic.

A master template was made for all the stanchions which was duplicated and taken to site to make the precise positions of each post. In this way it could be made offsite and reassembled in precise form to engineering tolerances.
The ramp has been nominated for a number of heritage architectural awards.

Designed by Caroe Architects.