The Seafood Restaurant, a bold cantilevered glass box was built 13 years ago and replaced a small Punch and Judy pavilion on the public park near the famous 18th green of the old golf course in St Andrews.
At the early stages of the project, the initial plan to convert and extend an existing pavilion to form a modest restaurant was changed to realise the full potential of the site. The finished project took the concept of a simple glass box cantilevered over the beach and sea.
The location has views across the sand and water of St Andrews Bay to the forest of North East Fife and the miles of sandy beaches that form Tentsmuir Point. The proximity to the famous golf course and the 18th hole 500 yards away adds to the dramatic nature of the site.
The detailing for the restaurant had been simple and unadorned, with the intention that the restaurant would hover above invisible walls creating the feeling of a covered outdoor space with minimal interruptions to the world class view. Over the years the restaurant has gained quite a reputation with diners enjoying the food and its excellent views.
On a recent visit to the site Galvanizers Association inspected the steel that was within easy reach. Coating thicknesses on steel sections that measurements were taken on varied from 60 μm – 175 μm. Particular points of interest were the galvanized beams that support the cantilevered deck. These were still in very good condition considering this elevation is facing the sea and during full tide the water level is only a few metres below the underside of the deck. On the west elevation of the building looking out to sea, the coating on the stanchions directly exposed to some of the worst conditions showed readings of 60 μm – 80 μm.
Overall the steelwork is in very good condition considering the battering the building gets, especially over the winter months, with what must be salt laden water drenching the restaurant.
