Haworth Tompkins worked closely with the Library and Archives team from feasibility stage to delivery, initially exploring a range of options for where the archive should relocate to. Finally securing the opportunity to move to a mixed-use development in Brixton, close to Lambeth’s new Civic Offices.

Below ground, the collections are stored in a passively conditioned, watertight, 4-hour fire rated and highly secure 400sqm strongroom. There is no insulation below the ground floor slab, which stabilises the temperature in the strongroom - and a dehumidifier is installed for manual use by the archivists.

The carefully designed fabric has achieved an airtightness of <0.3m3/hr/m2. A gas suppression system has been used for the strongroom due to the mixed use of the building (residential above). There is also a separate quarantine store, where incoming items can be reviewed and sorted before being housed in the strongroom.

Haworth Tompkins consulted the National Conservation Services to design the space to meet the requirements of the Archive British Standards; BS EN 16893:2018 Conservation of Cultural Heritage and BS 4971:2017 Conservation and Care Of Archive And Library Collections, and it has since achieved National Archive Accreditation.