Resolves level differences while providing an uplifting reception area and a relocated vestry
RIBA East Award winner 2021
Simpson & Brown for St Albans Cathedral
Contract value: £4.1m
GIA: 1,426m2
Cost per m2: £2,875
Designed as a low-slung garden wall, the new Welcome and Learning Centre provides a link between the grade I listed cathedral and the 1980s William Whitfield designed Chapter House. It resolves level differences while providing an uplifting reception area, retail and exhibition space, and a relocated vestry. Perimeter roof glazing provides a light connection between new and old, giving the opportunity to appreciate the soaring elevations of the South Transept and Crossing Tower from inside. Previously concealed historic fabric has been restored and left on show.