Period
1700
College of William & Mary: Wren Building Drain Investigation
HISTORIC LEGACY
Behind the historic Wren Building at William & Mary there are several axial brick paver sidewalks that connect the building to the adjacent campus buildings and the Sunken Garden. Beneath the central walkway, a 17th-century brick drain historically carried water from the Wren Building to Lake Matoaka located on campus.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
During an early summer project to repair pavers, the maintenance crew discovered that a portion of the walkway had collapsed and upon further investigation, determined that the drain beneath had also collapsed. Under a term contract with the college, MCWB collaborated with archaeologists to investigate the historic drain, and develop a quick and thoughtful solution that would preserve ongoing projects across campus.
RESEARCH & DOCUMENTATION
To fully understand the condition of the drain, our documentation team conducted a comprehensive laser scan and physically assessed the condition of the drain. The data captured provided highly detailed existing conditions that were used to develop repair options.
DESIGN
The goal of the design was to retain as much brick material as possible. From the scans and the conditions report, the team developed a structural arch out of stainless steel that supported most of the original structure and prevented the drain from further collapse.
REALIZATION
The steel arch structure was fabricated in Williamsburg, VA and installed efficiently, minimizing disruption to the adjacent pedestrian walkways. Once installed, the college was able to resume their sidewalk repair work in time for Convocation at the end of August.
