St Albans Cathedral

Architect

Simpson & Brown

Project Awards & Nominations:

• RIBA East Award 2021
• RIBA East Conservation Award 2021
• St Albans Civic Society Award 2021, Civic Society’s Plaque and Trevelyan Prize
• Brick Awards 2021, Public Building, Commendation
• Scottish Design Awards 2020, Best Public Building
• Scottish Design Awards 2020, Young Architect of the Year, Catriona O’Neill
• EAA Ambassador Award 2020, Commendation

The Detail

Cooper8 were commissioned to design the café and kitchen for the historic site of St Albans Cathedral, developed by Simpson & Brown Architects, as part of the wider ‘Alban, Britain’s First Saint: Telling the Whole Story’ new Welcome Centre project.

The kitchen was designed as an open kitchen, featuring a distinctive arc shape to align with the architectural curve of the rear wall. This required precise surveying and bespoke fabrication to ensure the kitchen seamlessly followed the unique shape of the building. The open kitchen concept was intentionally chosen to enhance the visitor experience, allowing guests to view the food preparation process whilst maintaining an unobstructed flow through the café. The servery was also curved to complement the overall architecture of the space, creating a harmonious and cohesive design.

One of the key challenges was the lack of an external route for a traditional ventilation system. To resolve this, we employed a recirculation system that effectively removed odours and cleaned the air from the cooking equipment, maintaining a comfortable environment for both staff and visitors without compromising the architectural integrity of the building.

Cooper8’s design of the café and kitchen successfully integrated modern catering equipment with the architectural vision of the new Visitor Centre, enhancing visitor experience at St Albans Cathedral.