The features of the refurbishment include the improvement of the environmental control of the libraries, with Skelly & Couch working alongside the existing district heating in the building to provide all services throughout the renovated areas and extension.

For this project Skelly & Couch have introduced an innovative approach to the environmental control of the Warburg Institute’s collections and archives. By using ventilation and passive measures only, this process will not include any cooling, humidification or dehumidification to maintain a stable environment for the centre’s material.

The Warburg Institute has a SKA gold rating and is located in Woburn Square in the heart of the University of London’s Bloomsbury campus. At the forefront of the global platform for leading research, the Warburg Institute houses many continental and rare books which are unavailable anywhere else in the UK.

With these changes and additions to the building, the aim is to make the Warburg Institute a more public-facing centre allowing it to continue nurturing people’s future research and pursuit of knowledge.

FT: Warburg Institute renovation to bring enigmatic establishment into 21st century