Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace
We provided conservation advice in relation to two major schemes at Lambeth Palace, the most important heritage asset in the London Borough of Lambeth.
The Palace’s buildings – which include residential apartments and historic spaces for events – are listed Grade I and set in a Grade II-registered garden.
First, we advised on the siting of Lambeth Palace Library - the first new building on the site for 185 years and a significant new addition to London’s civic architecture that now hosts the Church of England’s archive: the most important collection of religious books, manuscripts and archives in Europe, after the Vatican.
For the new Library building, visible across the River Thames, we supported the project through a series of successful pre-application discussions with the London Borough of Lambeth and Historic England. The project went on to win a RIBA London Award, a Schuco Cultural Building Award and The Architectural Review/MIPIM Future Projects Award: Old & New and was shortlisted for a ‘Culture’ award at World Architecture Festival.
We then advised on works affecting the historic core of the site, which included transforming the Great Hall from archive storage to events space and constructing a new energy centre. This £40 million project served as a crucial test case for bridging heritage and sustainability in a highly sensitive context, supporting the Church of England’s 2030 net zero commitment. The first phase achieved a 40% energy reduction by replacing gas boilers with air-source heat pumps and installing 160 new double-glazed sash windows that restore original appearance while improving performance. The project extensively reconfigured and rebuilt interiors while preserving historic features.
CO2 emissions dropped from 647,000kg to 233,000kg annually, powerfully demonstrating that sustainability and heritage preservation can coexist and serving as a replicable model for England’s 400,000 listed buildings.
“The Church Commissioners for England have most successfully brought together and conserved the constituent parts of Lambeth Palace Library in this striking new landmark building for the use of scholars and the enjoyment of the public alike.” - Rolfe Kentish, writing in Architecture Today
Architect: Wright & Wright