ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the expansion and renewal of the London library. The London Library is an independent lending library founded by Thomas Carlyle in 1841. It is a registered charity with the aim of advancing education, learning and knowledge and is governed by a committee of members elected as trustees. The London Library has made a policy of retaining its older works alongside the newly acquired ones, resisting the impulse to discard what no longer seems 'relevant'. Haworth Tompkins has developed a strong reputation for their ability to intervene effectively in existing buildings. Duchess House posed a different kind of challenge. The building had little character and its external facade was dated and undistinguished. Externally the building has been transformed by replacement of the windows and the creation of a strong ground floor facade, contributing significantly to the regeneration of Mason's Yard which began with the completion of the new White Cube Gallery in 2006.
