Local architects Wright & Wright designed a fort to preserve the historical archives of the Church of England raising it and preserving it from any disaster. The work creates a visual connection to the Palace of Westminster Church-State keeping the original connection.
Description of the project by Wright & Wright
Lambeth Palace is sited on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Parliament and has been a historic London residence of Archbishops of Canterbury since the 13th century. The existing library is split across several buildings and houses the second-largest religious collection in Europe after the Vatican. Items in the collection date from the 9th century and reflect connections between the state and the church, whilst also serving as the main archive for the Church of England.
The new library is intended to be built in the grounds of the north end of Lambeth Palace gardens, the historic Grade 1 listed London residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury and home to the library since its foundation. This location will provide the right balance between the need to provide for the collection (with independent access and within easy reach of transport routes) and the historic and integral link to the existing Palace. Clad in red clay brick, the design will pay homage to the surrounding historical Palace buildings. The building takes the form of an occupied wall which rises to a compact eight storey tower. The archives are elevated about any potential flooding and the building forms a bulwark, which screens this part of the garden from pollution and traffic noise, whilst also enclosing a pond. Thus the ecology of the garden will be greatly enhanced. At the top of the library tower, a multi-functional public viewing space is created, allowing direct views across the river Thames to the Palace of Westminster, reinforcing the historic connection between church and state.
