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The Royal Automobile Club
Façade Repairs
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In southeast London, the imposing headquarters of the Royal Arsenal Co‑operative Society rose in confident Italian Renaissance style, a testament to an era when commerce and civic pride were expressed in monumental architecture. Known as RACS, the building traced its origins to the workers of the nearby Royal Arsenal munitions works, evolving into a vast consumer co-operative that served its community for generations.
Clad in distinctive faience, the façade was designed to impress as well as endure. Yet decades of pollution, weather, and neglect had left the surface dulled and vulnerable.
Client
The Royal Automobile Club
Dates
Until 2020
Location
London
Grade listing
Grade II
Fabric
Terracotta
Slate
Preparing the Surface for Renewal
Before any major cleaning could begin, DBR London’s masonry team undertook careful preparation. Scaffolding and stonework were cleared of accumulated guano, removing contaminants that could interfere with subsequent treatments. This initial step ensured that the façade could be addressed without driving harmful deposits deeper into the material.
Steam Against the Years
DOFF steam cleaning was then applied across all faience surfaces. This low-pressure, high-temperature method lifted dirt and biological growth while protecting the glazed finish of the ceramic blocks. As the cleaning progressed, areas of deterioration became visible, revealing which elements could be conserved and which required replacement.
In particularly stubborn areas, paint stripping and chemical cleaning were used to remove soiling that resisted steam treatment.
Uncovering the Problems Beneath
Where faience blocks were found to be defective, they were carefully removed. This exposed corroding steel fixings hidden behind the decorative surface, an unseen cause of cracking and instability. The affected metal was treated or replaced, ensuring that new or reinstated blocks would not suffer the same fate.
Repointing followed where necessary, restoring the integrity of joints disrupted during removal.
When the scaffolding came down, the façade once again expressed its creators’ ambition, cleaner, more coherent, and structurally secure. Restored faience caught the light as intended, its rhythm preserved. Through careful conservation, DBR London safeguarded this rare co‑operative landmark, ensuring it continues to stand proudly within the urban landscape.
Repairing and Replacing with Care
Fractured blocks that could be retained were stabilised using stainless steel pins, discreetly inserted to hold the material together. Where replacement was unavoidable, new faience units were supplied by specialist manufacturer Darwen Terracotta, selected to match the original in colour, finish, and form.
