Trinity College, Link Block

Meeting increasing needs for long-term storage and book loan control was a major element of the brief to extend the college library. Design constraints imposed comprised a restricted site area, the quality of the adjacent architecture, and retention of the view of the Wren Library from the ‘Backs’. These resulted in the decision to site the bulk of the book store underground, with the Master’s Garden reinstated above; the proximity of the river required careful design management of the internal environment in order to protect the books. Joining the underground store with the existing Wren and Blomfield Libraries, a new link building accommodates improved staff facilities, catalogue access and book loan control and is designed to sit in sympathy with the surrounding buildings.