THE ROYAL SOCIETY
CLIENT: THE ROYAL SOCIETY
LISTED GRADE I
The refurbishment and reorganisation of The Royal Society’s buildings made better use of a unique set of Grade I, John Nash-designed buildings by providing a coherent, high profile architectural setting for the Society’s activities. The project also provided an opportunity to highlight a piece of London’s architectural heritage.
The completed development provides additional facilities for exhibitions, scientific meetings, seminars, media events and video conferencing. A key intervention was the creation of a new atrium in a former light well on the upper levels as a focus to the new offices, which optimises the use of space within the envelope of the Grade I listed terrace.
“Carlton House terrace has been the home of the Royal Society since 1967, a Grade 1 listed property designed by John Nash overlooking The Mall and St James. A major building redevelopment was commissioned and completed by Burrell Foley Fischer, which gave the Society its 21st century venue we see today.
The challenge was to achieve a coherent presentation of the Society’s image and to respond to its desire to appear modern and progressive, while maintaining a sense of the premises as four individual terraced buildings with their own rich history.
The Society values its professional relationship with Burrell Foley Fischer as they continue to provide innovative and modern concepts, whilst offering sound advice to protect the historic nature of our buildings.”
The project was carried out under a logistically complex phased contract, allowing the Society’s programme of conferences and scientific meetings to continue, and ensuring continued access for Fellows to the reference library.
Subsequently, Burrell Foley Fischer have continued to act as the Society’s architects for subsequent phases, including the refurbishment of the Wellcome Trust Lecture Theatre, the Dining Room, the Catering Kitchen and the Society’s Library, to create the Centre for the History of Science.
