Sited in the grounds of Waddesdon - one of the most visited historic houses among England's National Trust properties, originally owned by the Rothschild family - Windmill Hill opened earlier this summer as the new home of the Waddesdon archives and the Rothschild Foundation.
Aiming to become a facility for study and outreach in the fields that Waddesdon represents (the arts, heritage, culture, conservation, the environment and horticulture) and a centre for the Rothschild Foundation's philanthropic work, the Windmill Hill centre was in need of an architecture design to match. And, thanks to London-based practice Stephen Marshall Architects, the new complex - a converted and extended former dairy farm - has already scooped one of the 2011 RIBA awards.
Windmill Hill follows the footprint of the original buildings, keeping references to the farm typology, like the central courtyard as well as the material palette (oak windows and shutters, rendered walls, wood cladding and zinc roofs). The three main areas that are housed within the complex – a reading room, offices and archives – are arranged around the courtyard on three sides, while the fourth side is open to the south.
The architects framed the surrounding stunning views and formal landscaped internal garden with carefully planned openings that connect the building with the scenery; the western view notably stands out, highlighted by a 25m beam.
Nestled in the grounds of the 1877-built Waddesdon Manor, the new complex is subtle, minimal and beautifully detailed through its thoughtful material selection. It is also in good company, joined in the grounds by sculptures by the likes of Sarah Lucas, Angus Fairhurst and Stephen Cox.
It opened earlier this summer as a new home for the Waddesdon archives and a centre for the Rothschild Foundation’s philanthropic work
Thanks to London-based practice Stephen Marshall Architects, the new complex – a converted and extended former dairy farm – has already scooped one of the 2011 RIBA awards
Windmill Hill follows the footprint of the original buildings, keeping references to the farm typology, like the central courtyard...
... as well as the material palette, comprising oak windows and shutters, rendered walls, wood cladding and zinc roofs
The architects framed the surrounding views and formal landscaped internal garden with carefully planned openings that connect the building with the scenery; the western view notably stands out, highlighted by a 25m beam
The three main areas that are housed within the complex – a reading room, offices and archives – are arranged around the courtyard on three sides, while the fourth side is open to the south
Vertical louvers provide a strong visual and practical feature
Historically, they protected cattle sheds from wind while allowing fresh air to circulate. Now they shield the Reading Room and Gallery from excess direct light
Oak gridshell roofs add to the geometry of the interior
Lights are recessed out of view where possible
Nestled in the grounds of the 1877-built Waddesdon Manor, the new complex is subtle, minimal and beautifully detailed through its thoughtful material selection
ADDRESS
Waddesdon Manor
Waddesdon
Near Aylesbury
Buckinghamshire HP18 0JH
-
Nela is London's new stage for open-fire gastronomyA beloved Amsterdam import brings live-fire elegance to The Whiteley’s grand revival
-
How we host: with Our Place founder, Shiza ShahidWelcome, come on in, and take a seat at Wallpaper*s new series 'How we host' where we dissect the art of entertaining. Here, we speak to Our Place founder Shiza Shahid on what makes the perfect dinner party, from sourcing food in to perfecting the guest list, and yes, Michelle Obama is invited
-
Matteo Thun carves a masterful thermal retreat into the Canadian RockiesBasin Glacial Waters, a project two decades in the making, finally surfaces at Lake Louise, blurring the boundaries between architecture and terrain
-
Meet Forefront, a cultural platform redefining the relationship between art and architectureForefront co-founder Dicle Guntas, managing director of developer HGG, tells us about the exciting new initiative and its debut exhibition, a show of lumino-kinetic sculptures in London
-
Corten curves and contemporary flair transform this terraced house in LondonCagni Williams Associates’ sensitive refurbishment of a south London Edwardian house features a striking and sustainable Corten steel extension
-
You may know it as ‘Dirty House’ – now, The Rogue Room brings 21st-century wellness to ShoreditchThe Rogue Room – set in the building formerly known as Dirty House by Sir David Adjaye, now reinvented by Studioshaw – bridges wellness and culture in London's Shoreditch
-
The architectural innovation hidden in plain sight at Frieze London 2025The 2025 Frieze entrance pavilions launch this week alongside the art fair, showcasing a brand-new, modular building system set to shake up the architecture of large-scale events
-
RIBA Stirling Prize 2025 winner is ‘a radical reimagining of later living’Appleby Blue Almshouse wins the RIBA Stirling Prize 2025, crowning the social housing complex for over-65s by Witherford Watson Mann Architects, the best building of the year
-
‘Belonging’ – the LFA 2026 theme is revealed, exploring how places can become personalThe idea of belonging and what it means in today’s world will be central at the London Festival of Architecture’s explorations, as the event’s 2026 theme has been announced today
-
Join us on a first look inside Regent’s View, the revamped canalside gasholder project in LondonRegent's View, the RSHP-designed development for St William, situated on a former gasholder site on a canal in east London, has just completed its first phase
-
The Royal College of Art has announced plans for renewal of its Kensington campusThe Royal College of Art project, led by Witherford Watson Mann Architects, includes the revitalisation of the Darwin Building and more, in the hopes of establishing an open and future-facing place of creativity
