The brief
Eton College has been carrying out one of the largest sports redevelopment programmes in its history, centred around a major new indoor sports complex and aquatics centre designed to modernise its facilities while respecting the school’s historic architecture.
The work, carried out by construction contractor Gilbert-Ash, involved the demolition of existing buildings and the design and build of a new indoor sports centre including sports hall, squash courts, climbing wall and bouldering, dojo, fitness gym, indoor archery, shooting range, equipment storage, changing facilities and landscaping.
As a sub-contractor to the project, the SD Team was tasked with producing a sample brickwork panel featuring a specialist aggregate dusting applied to Sika 825 LM silicone, allowing the client to review both the texture and final aesthetic finish before installation.
Why is this work important?
The mock-up panel plays a critical role in the quality assurance process, allowing the design and client teams to assess:
- Texture and surface finish
- Colour consistency under natural light
- Overall aesthetic alignment with the architect’s intent
By validating the finish at an early stage, the project team can reduce risk, avoid costly on-site changes, and ensure a consistent, high-quality outcome across the completed build.
The results
The completed sample panel provided the design team with full confidence to sign off the proposed finish ahead of full installation.
Why work with us?
With over five decades of combined experience, the SD Team has a proven track record of delivering high-quality, durable sealant and cosmetic repairs on projects across the UK. Our fully accredited specialists manage each stage of the process, from initial on-site assessment through to final completion, ensuring a consistent, high-standard finish delivered on time and within budget.
This project reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering precision finishes on complex, high-profile developments across the UK.
