Cladding Remediation
Grand Ocean
The Grand Ocean is a significant façade remediation project involving the upgrade of a historic, Grade II listed residential building on the south coast. The scheme carefully balances modern fire safety requirements with the preservation of the building’s distinctive architectural character.
Building Background & Heritage
The Grand Ocean building, formerly known as the Grand Ocean Hotel, is located in Saltdean, just east of Brighton. Constructed in 1938 and designed by architect RWH Jones, it is a notable example of interwar seaside architecture and is now Grade II listed. Originally a luxury hotel overlooking the English Channel, it has since been sensitively converted into a six-storey residential building, retaining many of its key architectural features. The building has undergone several alterations over time, including roof-level extensions to create additional residential space, reaching a maximum height of approximately 18 metres.
Existing Façade System
The roof-level extension incorporates a single-storey ventilated façade system with sealed cladding joints and ventilation openings at both low and high levels to enable airflow within the cavity. This existing system formed the basis for the remediation strategy.
Façade Remediation & Fire Safety Upgrades
The works focused on upgrading the external wall system to improve fire safety and overall performance. Existing high-pressure laminate (HPL) cladding panels were removed and replaced with non-combustible cementitious cladding, installed on a new helping hand bracket and rail system. New cavity barriers were introduced throughout, and the existing expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation was replaced with non-combustible mineral wool insulation, significantly enhancing the building’s fire performance.