Nex—

Last night at the @_bdonline_ UK Architect of the Year Awards, we had something to celebrate!⠀ ⠀ Nex was shortlisted in two categories - UK Higher Education Architect and Creative Conservation Architect of the Year. And we were thrilled to come away with the Creative Conservation award, which feels particularly meaningful given the calibre of work we were up against.⠀ ⠀ The jury highlighted our @britishmuseum projects and the Jackson Library at @exetercollegeox . Their words captured the project kindly:⠀ ⠀ "The Jackson Library project showcases creative conservation at its finest. With elegant volumes, sustainable detailing, and a harmonious blend of old and new, it exemplifies a thoughtful, craft-led philosophy that champions the enduring value of conservation-led design."⠀ ⠀ This recognition belongs to everyone who made, and is making, these projects possible: our clients Exeter College, Oxford and The British Museum who trusted us with their precious buildings, and the brilliant consultants, contractors and craftspeople who brought the designs to life.⠀ ⠀ Exeter College, Oxford ⠀ Nex—Donald Insall Associates, Webb Yates Engineers, Laurence Owen, DHA, Ridge and Partners LLP, Beard, TLG Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, ⠀ ⠀ The British Museum⠀ Stace, Conisbee, BDP (Building Design Partnership Ltd), AECOM, Webb Yates Engineers, Currie & Brown, Steensen Varming, Arcadis Civic⠀ ⠀ Thanks to the jury and Building Design. And congratulations also to @haworthtompkinsfor their well-deserved Higher Education Architect win!⠀ ⠀ You can find more details on the award here⠀ https://bit.ly/4hcbCfs ⠀ ⠀ #AYA25 @societybuilding

Nex— has been named a finalist in two categories at the @_bdonline_ Architect of the Year Awards:⠀ – Higher Education Architect of the Year⠀ – Creative Conservation Architect of the Year⠀ ⠀ Our shortlisting reflects a body of work that brings together innovation, heritage sensitivity, and a user-centred approach:⠀ ⠀ From the award-winning Jackson Library and our roof conservation strategy for the British Museum, through to higher education projects such as the Brighton Photography Centre, and Homerton College entrance competition.⠀ ⠀ We’re proud to see these projects recognised for the way they balance heritage and contemporary needs, while supporting the life of academic and cultural institutions.⠀ ⠀ #AYA2025

Yesterday we welcomed the University Design Forum to Exeter College’s Jackson Library.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ The day gave us the chance to tour the building and open up a conversation on ‘Libraries of the Future: Innovation, Heritage, and Student-Centred Design’. With contributions from our brilliant speaker: ⠀⠀ Dr Christopher Fletcher - Keeper of Special Collections, Bodleian Libraries⠀⠀ Mat Davies - Director of Estates, Rhodes Trust⠀⠀ Babis Karakoulas - Bursar, Exeter College⠀⠀ Joe Dent - Associate, Nex—⠀⠀ Alan Dempsey - Director, Nex—⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Discussions ranged from accessibility in historic buildings to sustainability, digital learning, and how libraries can adapt to changing study patterns. A great opportunity to spark wider conversations about the future of university libraries.

A quieter but important piece of work in progress. We’ve been developing a heritage doors strategy as part of a broader set of ongoing conservation and improvement works across the British Museum. With over 3,000 doors in active use - some original, some adapted. Each carries its own layers of design and history. This collage captures a sample from our recent surveys: from robust early 19th-century doors to finely detailed later additions, each is being carefully documented and assessed to guide sensitive repair, upgrade, or replacement. #BritishMuseum #Conservation #Heritage #ArchitecturalSurvey #Nex #WIP

Over the summer, we undertook a series of photo surveys as part of our ongoing work at the British Museum.⠀ ⠀ We captured long views from surrounding buildings and streets to study how the Museum’s distinctive roofline reads against London’s skyline. These perspectives are crucial to our conservation approach - helping us understand how this landmark building is perceived within its urban setting.⠀ ⠀ The photographs will document existing conditions and sight lines that influence our technical decisions. Getting distance from the building reveals relationships between the roof's geometry, material aging patterns, and surrounding context that aren't visible up close and informs our conservation strategy at every scale.⠀ ⠀ #BritishMuseum #Heritage #Conservation

We are pleased to be hosting a visit with the University Design Forum at Exeter College’s Jackson Library, Oxford. The afternoon will include a presentation, building tour, and a roundtable discussion on the theme of Heritage Innovation: Lessons from Oxford’s Jackson Library. The programme will explore how historic university buildings can adapt to contemporary needs, focusing on: – Balancing Scott’s 1857 vision with modern requirements – Improving universal access in listed buildings – Decarbonisation of historic estates – Enhancing user experience: from cramped reader spaces to diverse study environments across four levels The visit will conclude with a panel discussion, “Libraries of the Future: Innovation, Heritage, and Student-Centred Design”, exploring questions such as: – How should university libraries evolve to meet changing study patterns and digital learning? – Which emerging technologies and spatial concepts for libraries can universities be piloting now? – Balancing heritage sensitivity with accessibility and user experience. – Enhancing sustainability within sensitive historic buildings. 📍 Exeter College, Turl St, Oxford OX1 3DP 🗓 1:45-4:45pm, 1 October 2025 🔗 Booking link: https://bit.ly/4n1q8ZO

Pleased to share that our Jackson Library project at Exeter College has been shortlisted for this year’s AJ Retrofit Awards, in the Conservation and Historic Buildings category.⠀ ⠀ This project has been a rewarding one for us, carefully unpicking past interventions and finding ways to restore and adapt a much-loved historic building for future use. We're glad to see it recognised among such thoughtful work across the sector.⠀ ⠀ Congratulations to all the shortlisted teams!⠀ ⠀ #AJRetrofitAwards #Retrofit #Conservation #Architecture #Library #ExeterCollege #Nex

Found this in my archive today, so I did a final retouch… — Large-scale model of the RAF Museum, Hendon, by @nex_arch — #architecturalmodel #studiophotographer #maquette #modelmaking #maqueta

This award celebrates our approach to creative conservation - where sustainability, access, and heritage repair work hand in hand to transform historic spaces for future generations. The jury remarked: "Sustainability and decarbonisation guided the sensitive retrofit of Oxford University's historic Jackson Library. Deteriorated fabric was restored or replaced with low-carbon natural materials such as timber and sheep fleece, improving comfort and energy efficiency. The project breathes new life into one of George Gilbert Scott's most significant works at the University of Oxford." Environmental performance was prioritised throughout, with breathable sheep wool insulation, reinstated natural ventilation, and low-temperature heating designed to connect to future ground-source heat. This is conservation not as preservation alone, but as a future-focused act of transformation. We're thrilled to see this ethos recognised! Thank you to Exeter College, all our collaborators, and to the RIAI jury for this recognition @riaionline . #RIAIAwards #Sustainability #CreativeConservation #Heritage #LowCarbonRetrofit #LibraryDesign #EducationalArchitecture @sika_ag @velux

We are absolutely thrilled to share that our project The Jackson Library at Exeter College, Oxford won an astonishing four RIBA South Awards, at a wonderful event hosted at the Bombay Sapphire Distillery in North Hampshire. – RIBA South Building of the Year – RIBA South Regional Award – RIBA South Conservation Award – RIBA Project Architect of the Year This was a truly special and challenging project, requiring us to sensitively balance conservation with contemporary interventions, repairing and revealing Sir George Gilbert Scott's original neo-Gothic library while enhancing its functionality for the future needs of the College. A heartfelt thank you goes to the Fellowship at Exeter College for their visionary leadership, collaborative spirit, and steadfast commitment to excellence. I want to especially thank former Rector Sir Rick Trainor, College Bursar Babis Karakoulas, and alumnus William Jackson, whose generous support helped realise the project. The success of this project would not have been possible without our brilliant collaborators: Architect and Lead Consultant: @nex_arch Conservation & Heritage: @insallarch Structural design: @webbyates Lighting design: @dhadesigns Landscape Design: @tlg_landscape_design Structural timber installation: @xylotekltd Timber joinery: @nbjlondon Main Contractor: @beard.construct Photos: @WillPryce Thank you to the dedicated jurors who visited the building and it meant a lot to us to hear that they recognised the projects careful integration of design, conservation, and sustainability: "This project required a high degree of coordination to produce a deceptively simple design full of intricate details and clever adaptations, prioritising reuse and conservation to minimise embodied carbon and enhance environmental performance and user comfort." We'll be hosting @riba and @oxfordprestrust organised talks and tours of the library this summer, which should be a fantastic opportunity to experience this special place first hand. So please do join us. We'll post further details on these events soon. In the meantime, use link in bio to learn more about the project @exetercollegeox @ribaoxfordshire @ribasoutheast

We maintain a genuinely student-centred approach throughout the project. As Exeter College's Bursar notes: "Nex's leadership was confident, collaborative and inclusive, balancing strong design conviction with willingness to listen." We are excited for the ceremony taking place at the Bombay Sapphire Distillery tonight, where our Exeter College project was shortlisted and recognised by the @riba award this year. Design Team⠀⠀ Structural Engineer: @webbyates ⠀⠀ Heritage Architect: @insallarch ⠀⠀ MEP Engineer: Laurence Owen⠀⠀ Lighting Design: @dhadesigns ⠀⠀ Landscape Design: @tlg_landscape_design ⠀⠀ Project Management and Cost Consultants: @ridgellp ⠀⠀ Main Contractor: @beard.construct ⠀ @exetercollegeox @ribaoxfordshire @ribasoutheast #ribaaward #riba

We had an incredible time sharing the Jackson Library project with Oxford Preservation Trust members and were delighted by the positive feedback we received. "The complexity of this historic space has led to some truly innovative yet beautifully sympathetic design." -- Michael G