New Mobility Lift Installed in Heritage Workplace
When Sir Robert Smirke designed Sessions House in 1824, accessibility wasn’t incorporated into building design as it is today. In fact, he is more famous for build facades like the British Museum and the Customs House on the Thames, than making buildings easy to work in.
That means many old buildings like the ones he designed need careful thought when improving mobility. They need to be sensitive to the nearly 200 year old surroundings, practical for users and cost effective for the building owner.
So making sure a new lift for Sessions House reception was discrete without costing the earth took the collaboration of Amey and Gen²; especially given the complicated layout of reception.
The solution replaces the obsolete telephone booth with a discrete lift. It is compliant with the 2010 Equality Act and can be used by anybody with mobility needs or carrying heavy and bulky items to the mezzanine floor.
The platform lift choice will mean better reliability, easier to use and the capacity to accommodate a full range of manual and powered wheelchairs, rather than the obsolete stair lift it replaces.
Gen² mobility specialist, Jon Baylis says “Taking on the complexity of the constraints in Sessions House reception to install a lift, demonstrates KCC’s ongoing commitment to making its buildings accessible.”
People who have used the lift already have said it is easy to use and access. Please speak to the team on reception if you have any questions about using the lift.