JMP was appointed by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) to develop a campus masterplan and to lead the phased transformation of the Philips Building, designed by Sir Denys Lasdun and completed in 1973. Central to the brief was the refurbishment and extension of the Philips Library, housing one of the world’s most significant specialist collections in African and Asian studies.

Arranged around stepped book stacks beneath a coffered ceiling with square skylights, the original library was a powerful architectural statement but struggled to accommodate a growing collection and expanding student population. Shortly after appointment, JMP consulted directly with Lasdun, securing his support for a series of carefully considered adaptations.

Extending and refurbishing the library
A major challenge lay in increasing reader capacity while improving environmental performance and accessibility. The first phase of works enclosed previously unused north and east terraces with double-height glazed extensions, delivering 170 new light-filled reading and work spaces alongside additional support accommodation. Refurbishment also involved cleaning exposed concrete surfaces, removing later accretions and stripping back ceilings to reveal the original structure, enabling improved daylighting and a low-energy ventilation strategy using night-time cooling.

A second phase reconfigured the interior to reduce the dominance of book stacks, improve wheelchair access and allow natural light to penetrate deep into the building. 

Planning for the future
A refreshed masterplan prepared in 2020 – following the grade II*-listing of the building – provides a framework for SOAS’ continued growth. It includes proposals for a new low-energy West Wing, linked to the Lasdun building by a glazed atrium, accommodating a range of public-facing functions. Together, the interventions demonstrate a deep understanding of Lasdun’s architecture, enabling a major modernist building to evolve in step with contemporary academic life.