Arts & Civic

Black Cultural Archives

Brixton, Lambeth, London

Designed by architects Pringle Richards Sharratt, this new cultural landmark is the first purpose built home for Black Cultural Archives (BCA), the leading independent archive collection dedicated to history and culture of people of African and Caribbean descent in Britain. The building provides facilities for BCA’s core activities of education, research and community engagement.

The practice worked with BCA to transform a derelict Grade II listed building into a state-of-the-art heritage centre ready to meet the ambitions of the organisation providing a local, national and international presence. The opening of the building marks BCA’s return to Brixton, the archive originally founded on Coldharbour Lane in 1981. 

The project comprised the restoration and refurbishment of Raleigh Hall, a Grade II listed building, declared ‘at risk’ by English Heritage in 1992. One of the central themes of the architectural design evolved from establishing and interacting with the central six central bays of the listed building, which is the oldest and most significant heritage element on the site. The original building now contains a learning zone, a café and shop as well as office and administration spaces.

Client Name
Black Cultural Archives & London Borough of Lambeth
737 sq.m
£3.5 million
2010
2014
Consultants
Alan Baxter & Associates (Structural Engineers)
Max Fordham
Turner & Townsend
Clarkson Alliance
Ralph Appelbaum Associates
In the press
Black Cultural Archives
PRS’ Black Cultural Archives opens doors
Black Cultural Archives receives HLF and LDA funding
Black Cultural Archives shortlisted for RIBA Awards
Black Cultural Archives wins two Civic Trust Awards
Black Cultural Archives overall winner of New London Architecture Awards
Awards
Civic Trust Award 2015
New London Architecture Award 2015
BD Architect of the Year Award 2011
BD Architect of the Year Award 2010

The Black Cultural Archives project won two NLA Awards in 2015:

  • The Overall Winner
  • The Conservation and Retrofit Award

The citation said:
"Sited at the heart of historic Brixton, the project has brought Raleigh Hall back from the brink and into active use.The derelict Grade II listed building, which had been on the English Heritage’s Heritage at Risk Register since 1992, was gifted to the BCA by Lambeth Council to provide a permanent home dedicated to black heritage in Britain. The project has produced creative alteration and extension of the former semi-detached houses, and is one of the few places in the UK to meet national archive standards."

Generally, judges applauded the way that many of the shortlist created a new identity for their schemes, but felt that the winner – and overall winner of this year’s New London Awards – Black Cultural Archives, was clearly ahead for its wider contribution to Brixton. ‘As a transformation it is quite stunning’, said Peter Murray.

The building also won two Civic Trust Awards in 2015:

  • National Award
  • Special Award for Community Impact & Engagement

The judges' citation said:


"The building makes an outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the envionment. Excellence is demonstrated through good design and the local community benefit at social, cultural, environmental and economic levels."

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