Staffordshire History Centre
Staffordshire History Centre
Alongside Pringle Richards Sharratt Architects, we are working as structural engineers on what will become the Staffordshire History Centre, combining the collections of Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service, the County Museum and the Grade II* listed William Salt Library. This new 3000m2, £7.1m centre will be located on Eastgate Street in Stafford and will hold historical records and collections up to 1,000 years old.
The work involves the refurbishment of the William Salt Library, which comprises a Georgian house with a Victorian extension that has suffered from historic movement and timber decay. Additionally, we are advising on the construction of new archival strong rooms to provide storage for 55 years of future collections. A glazed link between the Library and the record office will create a new entrance and permanent exhibition space to showcase the collections. Alongside this, reading areas, and research labs will be added to allow visitors to find out more about their family and local history by visiting exhibitions, taking part in events and family activities. Finally, the scheme includes a new courtyard and covered exhibition space at the centre of the visitor experience, which will be constructed in a Glulam frame with a CLT roof and glazed curtain walling.
The scheme will help to provide a rejuvenated service combining the existing Records Office building and William Salt Library, in Stafford and provide a welcoming destination for all of those with an interest in local history.
Client: Staffordshire County Council
Architect: Pringle Richards Sharratt Architects
WATCH: Time-lapse photography from summer 2023 shows a Glulam and CLT-covered courtyard and a new reinforced concrete-framed archives storage building taking shape.