RSHP reveals latest designs for major British Library expansion

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) has unveiled the latest designs for its huge extension to the Grade I-listed British Library in London’s EustonConcept designs for extending the UK’s national library, backed by a team led by Stanhope and Mitsui Fudosan UK, were unveiled in February with 72,000m2 of office space, 10,000m2 of library facilities and a new home for the Alan Turing Institute.The proposals sparked anger from conservation groups over the planned demolition of the British Library Centre for Conservation (BLCC), designed by British Library co-architect MJ Long and Rolfe Kentish, which was only completed in 2007 and cost £13 million to build.While there is no sign of a rethink over the BLCC, the team has released a new set of images showing how the addition to the library campus could look. They show how the scheme has been fine-tuned in response to feedback from the local community.The latest designs comprise two blocks connected by an internal eight-storey foyer space running through the middle. The first three floors will be devoted to the library, with offices above.RSHP has pulled back the extension from the western edge of the site to reduce the impact to the residents of Somers Town, Ossulston Street and Levita House.The building has also moved closer to Midland Road and the upper levels of the extension have also been set back to reduce the impact of overshadowing on nearby homes.The British Library has embarked on the major expansion as it is running out of room and is now seeking to ‘complete’ original architects Colin St John Wilson and MJ Long’s intention for the wider library site.In order to expand without using public funds, the library has partnered with the private developers to build offices for companies wanting to move into the emerging science and education district, known as the Knowledge Quarter.The scheme involves the demolition of buildings on the site north of the library, including the controversial bulldozing of the Long and Kentish-designed BLCC, which will be relocated elsewhere in the scheme.Completed in 2007, the £13 million building was on put on The Twentieth Century Society’s ‘at risk’ list in 2019, due to the land being safeguarded for Crossrail 2 station infrastructure.The developers have crossed that hurdle by striking a deal with TfL, agreeing to finance and carry out the works required for shafts and passageway beneath the new extension and to lease the land to Crossrail 2 for 999 years. Despite the shelving of that rail project, safeguarding works to ensure the route can be built in the future are still ongoing.The new library scheme includes new space on three lower levels of the building which connect into the existing building, a large foyer and offices above.One of the project’s main aims is to open up public access to the library with new routes between Euston Road to the south and a new entrance beside Dangoor Walk to the north.