West Yorkshire History Centre
Client
City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council
Value
£6,295,922
21st August 2019
Three storey archive facility for Wakefield
Two floors of dedicated archive space provide over 2000 square meters of secure and controlled storage for over 10 million records
The building also features communal and exhibition spaces to enable a wide-reaching programme of events, courses and opportunities for people to connect with their local and family history
The function
The ground floor houses an office and administration space accompanied by public viewing zones. A mechanical ventilation system controls the environment for staff and visitors.
The first and second floor contain electrical rolling racks to store scores of historical documents in a safe, controlled environment
The Builidng
A striking concrete frame building with block work infill panels to seal the structure together and encased in a perforated and decorative metal mesh screen with prominent feature external lighting
The building surround was developed through a combination of hard and soft landscape features to provide appropriate delivery access for larger vehicles as well as an inviting zone for building users and members of the public to enjoy the new archive building
