Lambeth Palace Garden Museum – Benefits from Alumasc Wade Bespoke Linear Drainage

During the sensitive refurbishment of Lambeth Palace Garden Museum, Alumasc Wade HCE drainage channels were specified to efficiently manage water drainage between the garden area and the adjacent café.

A project of two halves that was completed over several years, 2008’s Phase I of the Museum’s update addressed the pressing need for dedicated spaces within the existing building. A little while later, 2013’s Phase II brought the opportunity for the museum to recreate its public face. This was achieved with an extension that aimed to break down the divide between the indoor and exterior spaces.  

Housed in a church building adjacent to Lambeth Palace, the museum is often mistaken for part of the palace. The new extension consisted of a cluster of copper clad pavilions that form a cloister garden. It was designed and built by Dow Jones Architects and provided a much-needed urban presence and updated identity for the whole building.

As a listed site, a water management system was needed that would be both functional and respect the parameters defined by its status. In collaboration with Dow Jones Architects, Alumasc were able to design a bespoke version of the Wade HCE drainage channel that would stop water ingress from the garden area outside into the café, without distracting from the overall opulence of the building and the enchanting, secluded atmosphere of the garden.

As an Alumasc brand, Wade have an insurmountable reputation for quality and consistency. The 19.9m hidden threshold channel drain installed now helps protect the listed building ponding rainwater in the garden and café.

Installed here by contractors JJ Coughlan LTD, Wade linear drainage channels and gratings have third party certification of conformance to BS EN 1433 and are supplied with marking to demonstrate this, plus a CE mark, giving every client peace of mind.

The landscape design at the museum was developed by Dow Jones in collaboration with Dan Pearson, with a view to exploring the relationship between the precision of the new and the patina of the old. Combined with the colour and texture of the planting, the design brings definition to the setting.

As a significant archaeological site with listed tombs, protected trees and protected views, the development of this museum site brought many challenges. Crucially, the architectural intervention in the church is reversible but still brings life and activity into the listed building. The overall scheme responds to the strict parameters in place whilst creating a building that now has an iconic presence in the city.

Find out more about Wade HCE Linear drainage channels here

Keep up with Dow Jones Architects here: www.dowjonesarchitects.com/

Find more information on JJ Coughlan here: www.jjcoughlan.com/aboutus.htm