Construction firm Beard has started work on a £4.7m renovation of a building previously used as a James Bond filming location.
The company is undertaking an external revamp of the Spectrum Building in Swindon, which featured in ‘A View to a Kill’, starring Roger Moore as 007.
The 130-year-old South West firm, which also has its head office in the Wiltshire town, will refresh the look of the Grade II-listed building, known for its yellow steel ‘umbrella masts’ and frame, by redecorating its external cladding and fire escapes.
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The project, set for completion in May2024, will see the application of a new roof coating and an overhaul of existing mechanical and electrical and fire systems.
The 260,000 sq ft Spectrum Building was designed by architect Sir Norman Foster for French car manufacturer Renault, with the facility opening in 1982. Renault moved out in 2021, and the structure became a listed building in 2013, owing to its design typifying the British ‘High Tech Movement’.
Jamie Harwood, Beard’s Swindon director said: “As a proud Swindon firm with roots dating back more than 130 years in the town, we’re immensely proud to be involved in the regeneration of another one of Swindon’s most iconic buildings. While it may not be your traditional listed building, it still presents its own challenges and calls upon our expertise in the heritage sector to ensure the project is completed both sensitively and to the very highest of standards.”
Beard is working closely with the building’s managers MAPP Building Consultancy and other key partners to complete the project.
Alex Herrmann, partner at MAPP Building Consultancy said: “MAPP is very proud and excited to be part of the refurbishment of this historic and architecturally important building. The intense scrutiny on sustainability and the changing way occupiers are interacting with the built environment has made refurbishments such as this even more important.”
The start on site follows the completion of another historic project in Swindon for Beard, with the firm completing the second phase of regeneration at Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s iconic Carriage Works in the town Just outside Swindon, the contractor is currently working on a second phase of redevelopment at boarding school Marlborough College.
Established in 1892, Beard is a family-owned company with offices in Swindon, Bristol, Oxford and Guildford. The firm is looking to expand its reach with the addition of an office on the south coast of England next year.
