Worcester, MA – Cutler Associates has completed the repairs and renovations to the mansard and roof structures at historic Washburn Hall at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). The timber-frame building has brick masonry, a slate-clad mansard, and slate roof. The primary components of the project were reroofing, replacement of wood trim and mouldings, masonry repair, and window replacement.
In order to safely execute the project, the entire building was staged up to the top of the belfry. Because pedestrian and vehicular access needed to be maintained around the building, the staging was enclosed so that so that all demolition and rework would be completed within the enclosure.
As part of the roofing replacement, existing slate at the roof and the mansard was removed and replaced. . All copper and lead copper flashings were replaced. Flat seam copper roofing was installed at dormers and corner cupolas
The belfry, which holds WPI’s symbolic arm-and-hammer weather vane, was structurally reinforced and the copper roof replaced. Detailed shop drawings were created to allow for the duplication and replacement of the exterior wood trim and mouldings at the main building tower.
Select portions of the masonry façade were reconstructed and structurally reinforced. This included the installation of helical anchors that were installed as part of the reconstruction of the corners of the brick tower from the base of the wall up to the roof level. In order to have the masonry repairs match the existing construction, much of the existing brick was salvaged and reused. Because the brick was not of standard brick dimensions, each new brick had to be individually cut to size.
Hoffman Architects Inc. was the project architect.
Cutler Completes WPI Renovations – Hoffman Architects
Worcester, MA – Cutler Associates has completed the repairs and renovations to the mansard and roof structures at historic Washburn Hall at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).