Carlisle Cathedral gains transformative modern pavilion by Feilden Fowles
A new design by London-based architects Feilden Fowles transforms Carlisle Cathedral’s Grade I-listed medieval Fratry – a structure originally built as a dining hall for monks – into an entrance pavilion

David Grandorge - Photography
Although the UK’s golden age of modernist ecclesiastical design has long since passed, this new project by Feilden Fowles dovetails modern design into a site with 900 years of history without compromising the old or watering down the new. The project transforms access to Carlisle Cathedral’s Grade I-listed medieval Fratry – a building originally built as a dining hall for the monks living in the Cathedral Priory.
Built in the 1500s and altered in the centuries that followed, the red sandstone building has served as a kitchen, church, weapons store, chapter house, brewery and library, amongst other things. Recognising that the modern era had left the space underused, the Cathedral has spent the best part of 15 years working out a way of bringing the building back into the heart of the community.
Appointed six years ago, Feilden Fowles offered the solution to build a new entrance pavilion, creating additional space and making the entire site more useable and welcoming. The pavilion is a modest single-storey structure finished in precisely cut Dumfries red sandstone and defined by its run of elegant neo-Gothic arches. Set at 90 degrees to the medieval structure, it contains a café, fully adaptable space as well as a new entrance to both the Fratry and the Undercroft.
A bronze link structure, designed with Structure Workshop, contains steps and a lift, creating a light filled transition from new to old. The pavilion uses modern methods like 3D modelling and CNC-cut stone, as well as simple, hard-wearing materials like timber, bronze, polished concrete, stone and lime plaster. A new courtyard cements the feeling of unity with the cathedral, creating a new public space supported by the new café and education facilities.
Feilden Fowles has had to wind its way through public consultations, rounds of fundraising and the close involvement of specialists at every stage. The result is a credit to the team’s tenacity, as well as a reminder that great architecture is a long game. The project also involved reinstating lost or altered features, as well as the application of new stone carvings, and creates not only a new public space for Carlisle, but a fine example of contemporary design in a historic context.
The Gothic forms are treated with geometric precision and the new building never attempts to overpower its surroundings. Fergus Feilden and Edmund Fowles founded their practice in London in 2009 and quickly garnered attention for their work in the arts and education sectors. Currently assisting with the revitalization of the landscaping around London’s Natural History Museum, they are also working on major projects at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities. §
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
A stripped-back elegance defines these timeless watch designs
Watches from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Rolex and more speak to universal design codes
By Hannah Silver
-
Postcard from Brussels: a maverick design scene has taken root in the Belgian capital
Brussels has emerged as one of the best places for creatives to live, operate and even sell. Wallpaper* paid a visit during the annual Collectible fair to see how it's coming into its own
By Adrian Madlener
-
Move over, palazzos. Performances were the biggest trend at Milan Design Week
This year, brands brought on the drama via immersive installations across the city
By Dan Howarth
-
A new London house delights in robust brutalist detailing and diffused light
London's House in a Walled Garden by Henley Halebrown was designed to dovetail in its historic context
By Jonathan Bell
-
A Sussex beach house boldly reimagines its seaside typology
A bold and uncompromising Sussex beach house reconfigures the vernacular to maximise coastal views but maintain privacy
By Jonathan Bell
-
This 19th-century Hampstead house has a raw concrete staircase at its heart
This Hampstead house, designed by Pinzauer and titled Maresfield Gardens, is a London home blending new design and traditional details
By Tianna Williams
-
An octogenarian’s north London home is bold with utilitarian authenticity
Woodbury residence is a north London home by Of Architecture, inspired by 20th-century design and rooted in functionality
By Tianna Williams
-
What is DeafSpace and how can it enhance architecture for everyone?
DeafSpace learnings can help create profoundly sense-centric architecture; why shouldn't groundbreaking designs also be inclusive?
By Teshome Douglas-Campbell
-
The dream of the flat-pack home continues with this elegant modular cabin design from Koto
The Niwa modular cabin series by UK-based Koto architects offers a range of elegant retreats, designed for easy installation and a variety of uses
By Jonathan Bell
-
Are Derwent London's new lounges the future of workspace?
Property developer Derwent London’s new lounges – created for tenants of its offices – work harder to promote community and connection for their users
By Emily Wright
-
Showing off its gargoyles and curves, The Gradel Quadrangles opens in Oxford
The Gradel Quadrangles, designed by David Kohn Architects, brings a touch of playfulness to Oxford through a modern interpretation of historical architecture
By Shawn Adams