This building houses the archives of the States of Jersey.
The site, chosen by Jersey Heritage Trust, was a disused quarry with high rock faces to the north and east. The brief required over 7 km of archived storage which is housed in a white rendered box. The archive repository is pasively conditioned with the use of exposed high thermal wall construction and computer controlled vents to achieve BS5454. The site layout responds to the security zoning of the brief which ranged from public (exhibition), controlled access (education and reading room), secure (staff areas) and strong rooms (the repository).
A double height glazed 'pavillion' contains the reception and exhibition areas and responds to the scale of the surrounding residential properties. A port cochere announces the public entrance and way through to visitor parking and a south facing courtyard. The courtyard is overlooked, at first floor level, by the public reading room which is an oak panelled 'treasure chest'. The repository is a four storey high 'strong box' sitting against the quarry walls.
'The conflicting requirements of the brief have been dealt with in a manner that MacCormac Jamieson Prichard revels in. The architectural achievement is that the resulting building is such a welcoming and uplifting piece of civic architecture.' Martin Spring - Building
Client Jersey Heritage Trust
Completion Jan 2000
Cost£3.5m
Awards 2001 - Civic Trust Award
2001 - Concrete Society Certificate of Excellence
2000 - Jersey Design Awards - Best Workplace
2000 - Jersey Design Awards - Best New Development
2000 - Jersey Design Awards - Best Colour Scheme
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