Case Study: Stannah Passenger Lifts Up Access in Multi Award-winning Listed Conversion
A trio of Stannah Maxilift motor room-less passenger lifts has delivered residential access for all at King Edward VII Estate, near Midhurst in West Sussex.
Completed in 1906, this Grade II* listed former sanatorium has been renovated and converted into 162 sumptuous apartments, duplexes and communal facilities set within eight acres of Registered Gardens in the South Downs National Park, with full resident access to the 165-acre estate.
Original features have been restored, conserved and further enhanced with über-modern updates to include the three Stannah 8-person, motor room-less (MRLi) Maxilifts supplementing stair access over three and five floors.
The lifts were specified by specialist heritage developer City & Country, as Senior Surveyor, Andrew Patrick, comments:
“Our passenger lift requirement was put out to tender, with Stannah winning the contract based on proactive negotiation, quality of product and value for money. We are very happy with the product and service.”
Two of the hydraulic passenger lifts are wall mounted, one with single entry, the other with adjacent entry. The third model is single entry and was supplied with an FX structure that allowed installation in a challenging location: an existing shaft that could not be altered to accommodate the lift loadings, notably a glass wall.
FX structure lifts are unique to Stannah, i.e. the lift is supplied in its own structure comprising a 'shaft within a shaft' which incorporates a lifting beam and negates the need for scaffolding within the shaft, saving both time and money on site.
After a site survey by Stannah's passenger lift design office, hooks/studs and protective lift car drapes were recommended to protect the special finishes of the lift car whilst residents moved in.
Externally finished in satin stainless steel, the lift interiors reflect the development’s design aesthetic, with matt grey Zintec electro zinc-coated sheet steel, jade-green gloss Perspex panels, bubble ceilings, grab rails, half-height rear mirrors, and carpeted floors, flowing through from the landings. The control panels within the lift are fitted with car preference switches and one with a keypad for priority access to the penthouse apartment.
The Maxilifts fulfil all regulations and standards, including EN81-73 - Lift shutdown in event of a fire and the Equality Act’s access-for-all imperative. They are also in keeping with the overall project and have helped King Edward VII Estate win three accolades:
2016 WhatHouse? Award Gold for Best Renovation
2016 Evening Standard Award for Best Conversion and Best out of London Home
2015 WhatHouse? Award Gold for Best Renovation
2015 WhatHouse? Award for Best Renovation and Best Partnership Scheme
As with all Stannah lift products, the Stannah Maxilifts are covered by Stannah’s comprehensive lift service plan, with six services visits in the first year and continued lift maintenance by the Southern England branch of Stannah Lift Services, part of a nationwide network providing comprehensive lift servicing and support.