Westminster Coroner’s Court

The judges commended the Architects’ reverent response to the brief in creating spaces for the bereaved in the subtle extension of this Grade II-listed Victorian redbrick Westminster Coroner’s Court in London. The combination of scales and the definition of new against old was welcomed by the judges. The simple barrel-vaulted form of the new extension quietly echoes the top-lit glass volume of the original Victorian court. The calm, thoughtful use of natural materials – including limestone and wood – is accentuated with painted and etched glass artworks. All combine to create an exemplar of how architecture can create a tangible tone of beauty and reflection appropriate to the brief.