By using our website, you agree to the use of our cookies.

ABOUT US

Dr-Reza2

Dr Humayun Reza, Founder of Reza Restoration, has worked in the field of historical building restoration for over 20 years. He holds a PhD in the highly specialised area of cleaning and restoring of old masonry buildings and has multiple published works covering various topics in this area. His expertise has been built on extensive academic work and practical experience across a wide range of restoration projects, including many UNESCO Heritage sites, throughout the UK. At all times, his approach involves using state-of-the-art scientific equipment, material and techniques to achieve the very best long-term results. Dr Reza’s portfolio of historical restoration work includes a number of sites in Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh, where he lives with his family.

SERVICES

Cleaning

Before cleaning commences, work begins with an inspection and chemical testing of the building materials to determine, at a microscopic level, exactly what is on the surface of the material. Once all testing is complete, it is possible to choose the precise abrasive and cleaning technique that would be most effective, including the prevention of future erosion or deposit build-up. At this stage, cleaning of the building will commence.

This can be observed in his work at a Grade A listed terraced property in Edinburgh’s prestigious New Town area, located within a UNESCO World Heritage Site (pictured).

Conservation

Dr Reza has experience in the application of a number of highly specialised techniques including the conservation of both internal and external features. Throughout the course of the last two decades, Dr Reza has carried out painstaking restorative work on structures such as interior marble columns, period brickwork and stained-glass windows.

This can be observed in his conservation work at the Listed Grade 1 Gothic style (1760) Conduit House in Hampstead, London (pictured).

Repair

A wide range of highly specialised renovation projects have been undertaken by Dr Reza and his expert team, including the repair of original cornicing and lime plaster to meet more durable modern standards, the upgrading of period windows to ensure they are water and wind proof and the significant alterations to properties to meet the latest fire safety regulations.

An example of such work can be observed in his repair work at the Listed terraced property in Grosvenor Crescent, also part of Edinburgh’s New Town and a UNESCO World Heritage site (pictured).

TESTIMONIALS

I have worked professionally as a Chartered Architect with Dr Reza for well over 4 decades, on numerous and predominantly listed buildings and being of historic importance and in Conservation Areas. Such properties require a specialist knowledge of construction and design and with my assistance Dr Reza has risen to the challenge with all of them and has been exemplary in his understanding of the nuances and procedures involved.

Rodney Boyd B.Arch (Hons) Fellow/RIAS Member/RIBA Member/ARB

Chartered Architect
Dr Reza completed his PhD in 2014 at Edinburgh Napier University where I was working s a Lecturer in Structural Engineering and also his PhD Supervisor. He showed great interests and initiatives in his research. He worked very independently and hardly needed much supervision. He is a very polite, pleasant, honest, reliable, mature and hard-working man.

Professor Binsheng Zhang, BEng, MSc, PhD

Professor in Civil, Structural and Fire Engineering, Glasgow Caledonian University
I have been working with Dr Reza on several important projects over the last couple of years. All projects have involved the careful restoration of significant listed buildings both internally and externally and I can confirm a total commitment to perfection on both Dr Reza’s approach and completion of these prestigious projects. We have recently completed a quality conversion within the UNESCO world heritage site of Edinburgh New Town.

Alistair Cruikshank B.Arch (Hons)

Chartered Architect

CASE STUDIES

grosvenor-repair-1

Grosvenor Crescent

Edinburgh, 2017-2018

Dr Reza undertook the repair of this property, also part of Edinburgh’s New Town and a UNESCO World Heritage site. This included work to repair the original cornicing and lime plaster to meet more durable modern standards, the upgrading of period windows to ensure they are water and wind proof and the significant alterations to properties to meet the latest fire safety regulations.

Palm-DSC00154

37 Palmerston Place

Edinburgh, 2012-2013

This property is also within the UNESCO World Heritage Site. A large Victorian terraced house, on 5 floors with dressed ashlar stone on the front elevation, and all masonry construction. The property is also listed and in the New Town Conservation Area and had undergone various changes of use since being a single house. The building was beautiful but needed a huge amount of work and expertise to work with the specialist local authority planning team and Historic Scotland, to return the property to the original concept. The most important features, internal and external, had to be conserved and enhanced. Dr Reza knew what was required.

Conduit-IMG_3423

Conduit House, Lyndhurst Terrace

xxxxxxx

heriot-row

4 Heriot Row

Edinburgh, 2001-2002

Another Grade A listed terraced whole house in a UNESCO World Heritage Site and what is arguably the most prestigious area of the New Town in Edinburgh. Originally a single house with extensive internal alterations during a spell when it was a commercial office. Full of features in the Adam style but with more modern adjustments. The task before Dr Reza was to strip out all the ‘non-appropriate’ features and revert the building back to the original state. This also involved external alternations to brickwork that should have been the original stone. The completed building was worthy of an award.

hill2

21 – 23 Hill Street

Edinburgh, 1998- 1999

This property is within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there being 6 such sites in Scotland. Grade A listed property in the New Town Conservation Area, that was also of historic importance having originally been the townhouse of Mr Hill who gave his name to this 18th century street. The challenges to completely refurbish the building were immense, as there were structural issues to be grasped, as well as identifying and retaining the authority teams. Again, Dr Reza knew what had to be done including the poor external stonework, returning it to its former glory, and in such a prominent position in the centre of Edinburgh.

Alva-DSC00082

5 Alva Street

Edinburgh, 1995-1996

This property is also within the UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the West End of Edinburgh. Similar in style and age to the Palmerston Place development. Originally having been a single townhouse, it had undergone changes of use to commercial offices, but required complete refurbishment including the external envelope that had suffered through neglect. Again, Dr Reza’s knowledge and expertise of his subject was appreciated by the relevant authorities.

book
Investigations on Cleaning and Restoring of Old Masonry Buildings
Scholar's Press 2015
ISBN: 978-3-639-51714-9

CONTACT US