RGA Summer Newsletter

RGA Newsletter

RGA become Employee Owned Trust

Practising Together

We are delighted to announce that Richard Griffiths Architects are now owned by an Employee Ownership Trust on behalf of all members of the practice. All members share in the responsibilities and rewards of practice, with a stake in its development and success. The practice will be led by Anita Walters, managing director, and Aya Kihara Paul, architectural director. Richard Griffiths will remain involved as founder of the practice, which will continue with the work for which the practice is renowned in the reuse of historic buildings and as conservation design consultants working with other practices on much larger scale projects. We review some of the exciting projects on which we are currently working.

Tower Hamlets Town Hall wins RIBA London Building of the Year 2025

The project for the conversion of the former Royal London Hospital to the Tower Hamlets Town Hall, completed last year in collaboration with AHMM, has been winning many awards including the RIBA London Building of the Year Award 2025, and is therefore a contender for the Stirling Prize. We acted as conservation design consultants on the conservation and repair of the external elevations and of the surviving Georgian interiors. Staff satisfaction and turnover is greatly improved, and the feedback from the public is that is successfully acting as a centre for the local community, ideally placed opposite the entrance to Whitechapel Underground Station and the Elizabeth Line.

Custom House scheme submitted for planning and listed building consent

Earlier this year, a new scheme was submitted to give London’s Custom House a new phase of life as a flagship hotel and public venue in the heart of the City. RGA is serving as conservation design architects in this project, supporting Orms as principal architects. Together with the rest of the design team and in close discussion with the City and statutory authorities, a careful approach has been developed to the historic fabric, as well as the modern alterations including the East Wing, which was rebuilt in the 1960s following its destruction in the War. This collaborative approach has meant that the scheme has received unanimous support from the Georgian Group, SAVE, as well as Historic England, and pending a decision due later this year, we are looking forward to realising this project in the years ahead, restoring it to its former glory and opening up a significant public space towards the river, as well as public access through the building itself.

Marlowe Kit, Canterbury

Designs are underway in Canterbury to create a new studio space for the Marlowe Theatre Trust within the grade 1 listed 13th century Poor Priests’ Hospital and adjacent later buildings. The proposals will see improved accessibility throughout the historic buildings, converting the ancient building for heritage visitors, café and functions, and the later buildings to a learning centre for theatrical training. Working with Architect Sarah Wigglesworth, the design team is carefully balancing the need to preserve the building’s historic character while integrating modern design.

St Pancras Hotel

Since the completion of the hotel in 2011 the Manhattan Loft Corporation has been making improvements to the Booking Office Bar, Gothic Bar and restaurant to designs of Hugo Toro, a Parisian designer. We have acted as conservation design advisers in bringing out the best features of Gilbert Scott’s design, including the Ticket office windows in the Booking Office Bar. We have also designed a mezzanine bar over the ticket office, approached by a generous new spiral stair.

Salisbury Court, London

Construction at Salisbury Court, the future site of a new pub serving the new law courts designed by Eric Parry Architects, is progressing well. The new structure is complete and works will shortly begin to erect the new south elevation, a competition-winning design by RGA based on the Norman Shaw inspired Queen Anne style of the surviving east elevation. This will face a new public square and provide a welcoming counterpart to the law courts that sit behind.

Discoveries at The Guildhall, King’s Lynn

We are working with Howarth Tompkins as conservation design architects for the conversion of the 1406 guildhall into a new theatre and arts centre for Kings Lynn. During the recent opening up works, a remarkable collection of historic artefacts believed to be associated with Shakespearean plays were uncovered. These findings include chicken bones and smashed bottles of wine discarded by past audiences. Tim FitzHigham notes that this new found information is “rewriting the textbooks about Guild history, theatre history and what we know about early social history."

Lowestoft Town Hall

Construction works are progressing at Lowestoft Town Hall where we are working with HAT architects to provide an adaptable space for local organizations, residents, and visitors, supporting community engagement and cultural activities in the area. The project aims to revitalize the historic building by creating modern facilities that can accommodate a variety of events, including exhibition space and a cafe. Recent works have included urgent repairs to the historic timber rafters, which have been badly damaged by water ingress.

St Alfege’s, by Greenwich School of Architecture

Richard Griffiths was asked to provide briefing for a project run by the Greenwich School of Architecture in creating models in a range of materials of parts of Hawksmoor’s great church, where Richard Griffiths has been church architect for thirty years. We enjoy the range of materials and scales, and the fact that they are physical rather than digital models.

University of Cambridge ARCSOC Summer Exhibition

RGA Architectural Assistant Maddy Hobern, currently enrolled on the Mst. Architecture (degree apprenticeship) course at the University of Cambridge, exhibited a sample of her work at the annual Architecture Society Summer Exhibition. Titled ‘Traces of Making’, this years exhibition focussed on the process and art of development through Architecture, held at Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge.

‘Revisiting the Market Square and Guildhall, Cambridge’ by Maddy, Module 2

Open House Festival 2025

Join us as we open our doors again at this year’s Open House Festival on Saturday 20 September between 10:00 - 17:00. Our office is above the Artworkers Guild, who will also be open to visitors to their wonderful building and lecture hall.

We look forward to welcoming you!