Wright and Wright balances "continuity and change" in Lambeth Palace overhaul

Architecture studio Wright and Wright has completed the renovation and extension of Lambeth Palace, the 800-year-old home of the Archbishop of Canterbury in London.

The Grade I-listed estate on the south bank of the River Thames comprises several buildings dating back to the 12th century that have been repaired, restored and updated to improve their accessibility and environmental performance.

Wright and Wright's three-year overhaul followed the completion of its home for Lambeth Palace's new library in 2020, which was the first addition to the site in 180 years.

"The masterplan was really about working with the layered history of Lambeth Palace," senior associate Leanna Boxill told Dezeen.

"Over centuries, successive archbishops either built or gave away land, leaving us with an extraordinary collection of buildings from different eras – the Chapel, Great Hall, Blore Building and the Towers," she continued.

"The balance between continuity and change was at the heart of everything we did. We worked hand in hand with the Church of England, engineers, archaeologists, craftspeople, and Historic England."

Entryway at Lambeth Palace — The studio has updated several buildings that date back to the 12th century

A core focus of the refurbishment was improving the site's accessibility and services, which began with the introduction of a stone ramp at the front of the Victorian-era Blore Building overlooking the palace's main courtyard.

Inside, four new lifts create an accessible route through the building, accompanied by the introduction of accessible toilets and a larger Changing Places toilet, all of which are open to the public.

Newly-updated Great Hall by Wright & Wright — The Great Hall was repaired and reopened as an events space

Moving through the Chapel and Cloisters to the west, the 17th-century Great Hall – once home to the palace's collection of religious texts before the library's completion in 2020 – has been repaired and reopened as an events space.

Stonemasons and conservationists restored its timber ceiling and stone walls, while redundant bookcases have been refashioned into timber panels that line the lower section of the walls.

Red-painted interior of Lambeth Palace by Wright & Wright — The refurbishment sought to improve Lambeth Palace's accessibility

"The Palace hosts so many charitable events for the NHS, for veterans, and others, and it was essential that everyone could come through the same main door," Boxill said.

"The spatial strategy worked like a domino effect – solving one challenge unlocked opportunities in another part of the Palace," she continued. "This spatial reorganisation has created a palace that can continue to be a working residence for the archbishop, but also function seamlessly as a welcoming venue for large-scale hospitality and gathering," she added.

Wright and Wright's overhaul also involved the creation of an energy centre containing three air-source heat pumps.

Tucked behind a metal-clad wall to the south of the site, these heat pumps are connected to a series of reconfigured service routes that feed a new system of radiators, made more efficient by the introduction of double glazing.

12-century seating area — The site remained fully operational throughout the renovation works

"By studying well-kept archival records of previous buildings on the site dating back to the 12th century, and digging a trench, we were able to map the 'route of least resistance' for the new servicing," said Boxill.

"Archaeological excavations revealed remains dating back to the very beginnings of the palace – Saxo-Norman deposits, medieval cesspits, Tudor cloisters, and even human skeletal remains under the Guard Room," she added.

All of the renovation works were carried out while the palace remained fully operational, hosting the 2,000-person Lambeth Conference as well as rehearsals for national services such as the Royal Funeral and Coronation.