Since its conception, the Southbank Archive Studio has become a heavily relied upon resource, slotting into a previously vacant atrium within the Grade I listed Royal Festival Hall. Since opening in 2017 it has hosted 80 events annually, with an estimated 4 million visitors per year passing through the building’s doors.

The archive is a free-standing, self-supporting structure; an open framework that provides a space for the artifacts and documents in the Southbank’s permanent collection. The modularity of the units encourages public interaction and engagement with the collection.

The archives materiality was carefully considered in reflecting the Royal Festival Hall’s heritage – galvanised dexion shelving, perforated hardboard, vitreous enamelled steel and polished brass fixings. Aiming towards greater sustainability, the entire studio is demountable, and the hardboard body makes use of recycled wood fibres and naturally occurring lignin as the bond.