Please fill in the form below and we will get back to you.
Alternatively email us at info@dbrlimited.com or for urgent enquiries call us on 020 7277 7775.
Hyde Park
The lookout
1 / 2
Within the greenery of Hyde Park, The LookOut stood as a pavilion where nature and art met at close quarters. Its external murals, spread across upper and lower panels on both the north and south elevations, formed a decorative skin exposed to sun, rain, and the slow abrasion of time. Though still vibrant, the painted surfaces showed signs of wear that threatened their long-term survival.
DBR Conservation was commissioned to undertake a complete conservation treatment, aimed not at altering the artwork but at stabilising and preserving it.
Client
Royal Parks Foundation
Dates
September 2022
—
October 2022
Location
London
Grade listing
Grade II
Fabric
Timber
Cleaning Without Erasing
The work began with a delicate cleaning process designed to remove accumulated dirt while protecting the original paint. Using a gentle scourer alongside water, White Spirit, and a non-ionic surfactant, conservators lifted contaminants from the surface without disturbing the underlying imagery.
Gradually, colours brightened and details re-emerged, revealing the murals much as they had first appeared.
Capturing the Design Before Repair
Where deterioration had affected the panels, the original patterns were first recorded through careful stencilling. This step ensured that no detail would be lost during the preparation that followed.
Damaged areas were then sanded down, removing compromised material, including failing plugs, and creating a stable surface capable of receiving restoration work.
Rebuilding the Image
With the groundwork complete, the stencilled designs were painstakingly recreated. Pigments and varnishes were applied to touch in repairs, blending new work with the existing paint so that the intervention remained visually discreet. The aim was continuity rather than reinvention, allowing the murals to retain their authenticity.
Sealing Against the Elements
To protect the renewed surfaces from future exposure, multiple layers of varnish were applied, seven coats in total. Additional varnish was added to the undersides of the lower panels, areas particularly vulnerable to moisture and wear.
Finally, wooden seams were caulked to improve weather resistance, closing pathways through which water might otherwise penetrate.
When the work concluded, the murals once again animated the exterior of The LookOut, their colours unified, their details secure, and their surfaces shielded against the elements. The building remained what it had always been: a place where garden, architecture, and art coexist in quiet harmony.
Through careful conservation rather than wholesale renewal, DBR ensured that these painted panels will continue to greet future visitors, offering not just decoration, but a sense of continuity within one of London’s most cherished parks.
