Lambeth Palace Library. Photo © Hufton + Crow
St John’s College Library and Study Centre. Photo © Dennis Gilbert
St John’s College Library and Study Centre. Photo © Hufton + Crow
ing sits on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Westminster Parliament. The location preserves the collection’s his- toric link to the palace, while increasing public accessibility. The new building brings together the historic collections of Lambeth Palace Library – founded in 1610 and one of the earliest public libraries in the UK – and the records of the Church of England, preserving them for the benefit of future generations. The brick facade was designed in response to neighbouring Morton’s Tower, the Tudor-era gateway to Lambeth Palace, and blends into the red brick perimeter wall that encloses the palace garden. The library’s facilities include a public reading room, a group working area and seminar rooms, together with a top floor events space, with seating for up to
June 2022
St John’s College Library and Study Centre. Photo © Hufton + Crow
70 people, and a roof terrace. In addition, it houses a specialist conservation studio to accommodate up to eight full-time conservators, and office space for up to 30 library staff. All public spaces and the reading room benefit from carefully attuned natural light and provide curated views across the palace garden. The library layout is designed to mini- mise the building’s footprint and enhance the local ecology; it acts as a barrier between the palace garden and Lambeth Road, significantly reducing noise and air pollution in the garden, while accom- modating a new and enlarged pond and wetland glade. The result is a low-carbon building that uses the building’s structure and fabric to regulate the environment in the archive stores and avoid the need for expensive and complex air conditioning
solutions. The building is fully electric, with its energy demand being met by photovoltaics mounted on the lower roofs flanking the central tower.
The climate crisis is challenging the way in which architects design. It is imperative that buildings use less carbon in their construction and require less energy to run. At Wright & Wright we are fascinated by how buildings are made and endure, articulated through an understanding of the inherent properties of materials and the importance of durability and skilful detail- ing. We hope that this meticulous approach to design creates buildings that not only exceed expectations on completion, but also age gracefully within historic surround- ings, standing the test of time, which to us, is truly the most sustainable solution.
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www.wrightandwright.co.uk INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 37
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