A workman sieves the lime putty in preparation for the plastering of the inside of the rotunda dome. Lime putty is a product of limestone.
Thirty-five tons of 98% pure lime putty were shipped from England as local putty was found to be only 75% pure.
Painter Richard Ireland, creates the colour shades on a colour chart. The basic colour, mother of pearl, was chosen to evoke the Biblical description of the luminous cloud of the divine presence.
All the glass of the lantern was replaced with a special low transmission, high reflectivity, toughened glass, to prevent the high levels of sunlight diminishing the effect of the interior decorations.
