Wright & Wright’s refurbishment of the Grade I-listed Lambeth Palace reimagines the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury as a sustainable and accessible, estate for the future.

Photos
Hufton + Crow
Words
Jason Sayer

Hidden beneath the historic floors and behind centuries-old stonework, a quiet transformation has taken place at Lambeth Palace. Over the course of a three-year refurbishment, the most significant in over 70 years, the Grade I-listed London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury has been future-proofed to serve generations to come. Lead by Wright & Wright Architects, the project brings together conservation craft, carbon-conscious innovation and institutional collaboration in a masterplan that subtly reshapes this globally significant site.

Occupying the same stretch of riverbank since the 12th century, Lambeth Palace has evolved over hundreds of years – its architectural patchwork reflecting periods of religious reform, political upheaval, and everyday ministry. The Palace’s composite structure includes Tudor gatehouses, Victorian wings, and war-damaged rebuilding. But the latest addition to this layered history is less visible and more systemic: an extensive upgrade of the site’s servicing, sustainability, and spatial inclusivity.

“This wasn’t a pristine palace when we turned up,” said Stephen Smith, partner at Wright & Wright. “It was a palace at crisis point.”

Site plan.

Axonometric drawing of work done to Lambeth Palace.

The masterplan is underpinned a shift in infrastructure: a new Energy Centre, concealed behind a medieval boundary wall, enables a move away from fossil fuels, supplying heat and hot water via three air source heat pumps. The Victorian Blore Building’s once leaky envelope has been re-sealed through a ‘fabric-first’ approach, including the replacement of 235 windows with finely crafted, double-glazed replicas in solid sapele hardwood. In total, energy consumption across the estate has been reduced by an estimated 63 percent.

These upgrades involved work that visitors will rarely see: two kilometres of heating pipework, 50 kilometres of cable, 39 tonnes of recycled timber, and countless hours of collaboration. But other changes are more immediately tangible. A new accessible ramp now leads to the main entrance, a long-overdue architectural gesture that allows all visitors, regardless of mobility, to enter through the same front door. Inside, four new lifts, improved signage, accessible bathrooms, and a guest flat support the Palace’s renewed ethos of hospitality.

“Transitioning Lambeth Palace towards becoming a zero-carbon site represented a considerable challenge,” added Smith. “The spirit of this complex retrofit can be captured by the adage ‘If we want things to stay the same, things will have to change’.”

That tension between preservation and progress was perhaps most intensely felt in the restoration of the 17th-century Great Hall. Once home to the Palace Library, the hall has been reimagined as an events space, its damaged timber roof structure repaired by a team of specialist craftspeople. Original bookcases have been repurposed into wall panelling, and a hidden trench now discreetly houses heaters connected to the new low-carbon energy system. The result is a space that feels both reverent and renewed.

The old palace library.

Elsewhere, archaeological investigations conducted in advance of construction unearthed remains dating to the 12th century, revealing lost walls and traces of earlier configurations. Working in close partnership with Historic England, the project team ensured these discoveries were carefully documented and protected, enriching the site’s historical record.

This was not just a conservation exercise, but a learning platform. Apprentices were embedded throughout the construction process, gaining firsthand experience of working on a live heritage site. Universities and church groups were invited to observe works in progress, and the lessons learned here – on sequencing, collaboration, and retrofit detailing – are already informing net-zero initiatives across the Church of England’s vast property portfolio.

“Striking a balance between adaptation and preservation, the project involved careful repair, conservation of the building fabric, and reinstatement of key heritage features,” said Leanna Boxill, conservation architect at Wright & Wright. “We hope the refurbishment strengthens the Palace’s role as a place of welcome and communal gathering.”

That spirit of openness, long essential to the Palace’s role in public life, now resonates in the very way the building is experienced. While the heating systems have changed, while the floors have been lifted and the walls re-insulated, the essence of Lambeth Palace – its quiet presence, its sense of history – remains untouched. Or rather, touched just enough to let it thrive.

As Michael Minta, director of Bishoprics and Cathedrals, puts it: “The refurbishment, the first in almost a century, ensures it can remain a global base for the mission and hospitality of the Church for generations to come.”

Edward Clarke, associate director at Arup also added: “Going beyond a like for like replacement, we went back to first principles, adopting a fabric first approach and developing strategies and systems to achieve net zero carbon. The considered and intricate installation shows how world class sustainability can be delivered in an historic building.”

What was once crumbling has been made whole. What was hidden has been renewed. And what was inaccessible has been opened to all.

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