“ Built alongside the Grade I listed Pepys Library , it is the first substantial addition to the main
site in over 50 years .
JAMES LATHAM
Inside , the building ’ s structure is clear to see . Glulam beams support cross-laminated timber floor slabs which are supported on load-bearing brick piers . The architect ’ s intention was for all the key features to appear as an interwoven set of elements .
Cambridge-based bespoke joinery firm Wedd Joinery was commissioned to manufacture all the furniture within the library including bookcases , desks and various other pieces . The specification was for solid timber much to the joinery company ’ s delight with Magdalene College wanting to build something for the future generation .
Wedd chose to work with
WoodEx ® Florian European Oak on the advice of timber and materials supplier James Latham ( Lathams ). The team recommended the product due to its high-quality finish and strong performance .
Lathams extensive network and key supplier relationships provided a further advantage , as they were able to fulfil the specification and meet the demand for such a large order .
In his summation of the project , Jim Greaves , Chair of Buildings Judges , Wood Awards 2021 said , “ The Gold Award winner this year , Magdalene College Library , is a tour de force of architectural design and achievement . Experienced sequentially as they lead one through the building , the different spaces and forms of the reading rooms are quite beautiful . The brick , timber and stone have been designed exquisitely with a thorough understanding of their intrinsic qualities . A truly outstanding building .”
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