The Brief

The Caledonian (Cally) Park Clock Tower, situated in London’s Islington Parks, is a Grade II* listed building with a rich history.

In 2018 Clarkson Alliance were appointed as one of the team to renovate the Italianate Clock Tower with the help of the Heritage Fund.

The scope of work included

• Essential conservation work and access improvements to the Clock Tower
• Repair for the original ‘market’ railings
• Development of a historical information for visitors
• Creation of a space for school and family activities
• Provision of accessible toilets, a café, park ranger office and a volunteer area.

The Delivery

Working alongside the council and architects we  

• Implemented an effective governance structure for the project in a complex environment
• Managed the successful procurement of the main contractor
• Played a key role in creating and implementing stakeholder engagement, such as
  • Identifying stakeholder groups
  • Developing the cross-community communications strategy
  • Running consultation events
  • Writing and designing project updates

• Advised on the budget and risk register
• Provided reporting to the Heritage Lottery Fund in line with grant conditions

The Outcomes

The grand opening of the refurbished/renovated Cally Clock Tower Centre took place in June 2019 and is at the centre of the vibrant local community. This is the first time the 19^th century tower was open to the public on a regular basis in its 200-year history (unfortunately closed for periods during the Covid pandemic).

The restoration of the tower was shortlisted for the AJ Architecture Awards in 2019.