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A Heritage Centre for Newham
Haworth Tompkins has been working with the London Borough of Newham to develop proposals for the new ‘Newham Heritage Centre’, which cover the repair and re-purpose of the Grade II listed Library to provide a range of Council-led facilities including an archive and associated reading room, digital media suite, flexible exhibition space, café and learning and outreach spaces. Both the design proposals and associated activities planned within the building are in response to extensive feedback from residents and heritage service users collected over the last 3 years.
Through the refurbishment works, the unique historic fabric of the building will be sensitively restored. Extensive measures will be undertaken to retrofit the building to make it more thermally efficient, aiming to drastically cut energy use. These include improved insulation, replacement windows, roof lights and doors, and the installation of solar panels, heat pumps and a new mechanical ventilation system.
Two extensions are planned; one to the rear of the building housing a new archival store, built to the National Conservation Service standards, the other at rooftop level to accommodate a new lift and stair which will improve accessibility throughout. With new electrical and mechanical services planned throughout, the building will host a range of digital and audio-visual installations, for the first time firmly bringing the Victorian building into the 21st century.
The proposed material palette for the two extensions has been chosen to complement the existing material palette, while offering a counterpoint to the historic fabric and a clear delineation between the original building and the proposed extensions. As there is no potential for window openings into the store, a high-quality anodised aluminium cladding is proposed, with vertical fins adding rhythm, depth and interest to the façade. The project is currently on site and is due to complete in winter 2025.
