Lincoln's Inn Hall and Library | MICA Architects

The Great Hall and Library project includes restoration, excavation and extension of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, and is the most significant development to the historic estate in 150 years. The work comprises heritage-led conservation and restoration with bold contemporary additions to the oldest working Library in London. The changes enhance the character and setting of the Inn and its unique buildings, providing huge improvements to quality and quantity of teaching and event spaces for the wider Inn community.

Restoration
The refurbishment of the Great Hall removes recent poor-quality alterations, restoring many of the building’s heritage features and reinstating the original ceremonial entrance and improving accessibility throughout the building. Improved banqueting and dining facilities in the Great Hall and rejuvenated events spaces improve the Inn’s commercial offering. The works bring the building up to modern standards with the introduction of underfloor heating, new production kitchens, drainage and waterproofing and new energy efficient mechanical systems. Within the hall, a new timber floor and underfloor heating has been installed to provide more effective thermal comfort for users.

Excavation
The new education suite (known as the Ashworth Centre) provides the Inn’s students and members with high quality teaching facilities at the heart of the Inn with links to the other core functions within the Great Hall. The building provides state-of-the-art advocacy training and seminar rooms along with a 158-seat lecture theatre, all located beneath the existing east terrace adjacent of the Great Hall, with minimal visual impact on the historic setting. Large rooflights and double height spaces bring natural light into the heart of the building whilst providing an important visual connection to the surrounding buildings.

Extension
The new extension provides contemporary office and library storage facilities, allowing the existing listed building to focus on the more ceremonial uses it is best placed to support. The new building takes a simple form, it is constructed of high quality, finely detailed materials that are sympathetic to the context and blend with the existing Great Hall and Library. A glazed link opens up circulation within the Inn and enables connectivity with new facilities from four existing below and above ground levels. This allows for wheelchair access between the main first floor Library and the Library stacks in the basement for the first time.

The project marries together exceptional environmental and sustainable performance with a sensitive understanding of the significant historical setting of the Inn. A holistic energy strategy helped to significantly reduce the running costs of the Inn’s existing historic building stock, which tended to be high maintenance and expensive to run. The development utilises renewable energy from a ground source heat pump and achieves a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating.

Good Universal Design
The refurbished and new facilities provide the Inn with much improved and more accessible accommodation that preserves and enhances its ability to meet the needs of its legal community through the qualification, training, and development of its members. The works in the Great Hall not only restore its unique heritage features but also bring the building up to modern standards, allowing it to be more inclusive and accessible, and supporting the Inn’s service to its members and the wider community who visit or attend events in the building.

The remodelling of the existing building reinstates the key access routes and clarity in movement within and around the building for all users. Re-opening the southern entrance stair returns the ceremony to the ascent into the Hall, re-establishing the sense of arrival that was subdued by previous works. Access into and around the building has been significantly improved by the careful insertion of new lifts, providing step-free access to the building’s principle spaces for the first time in its history.

The works to the Great Hall and Library bring the building up to modern standards and ensure compliance with the current AD Part M and K of the Building Regulations. Externally, access has been improved through a new paved surface to the East Terrace, and new lighting, tactile-visual markings and wayfinding signage have significantly improved the accessibility to the new and existing buildings.

The new education facilities enhance the Inn’s education offering to its members and wider community. Previously located in a poorly ventilated basement with no natural daylight, the education department’s advocacy training facilities were unsuitable for a 21st Century institution. The Inn conducted many of their training programmes in locations outside of London due to the quality and condition of their former education spaces. Consolidating the education facilities around the Great Hall complex has created a flexible and accessible education and events facility that allows the Inn to be more inclusive in its role as provider of legal training. The new education building links seemlessly with the existing building via a new lift, providing a step-free route to the Great Hall from both street level and the new education facilities.

The new library and administration building provides open access to the entirety of the Inn’s extensive legal printed material – a large part of which was previously stored off-site.

A new link
New storage has been designed in anticipation of the expanding collection, safeguarding the collection for at least the next 40 years. The new glass link between the original library and the new extension gives access to a new lift that connects the first floor library to the basement level books stacks – giving fully access to over 80% of the Inn’s legal material.

Impact on the Community
The works at Lincoln’s Inn have been wide ranging and have made a significant positive social contribution to the community of the Inn and its members and the wider local community.

Photography: Andy Stagg

Website: https://www.andystagg.com/

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Photography: Richard Chivers

Website: https://www.rchivers.co.uk/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/richchiversphoto/