Designed by Brimelow McSweeney Architects and shortlisted for Best Retrofit Project at the Building London Planning Award, the scheme is the fifth library in the borough to undergo major renovation as part of a wider programme representing over £30 million of investment across Bromley’s library estate.
The scope of work was extensive. Rather than a surface-level upgrade, the existing building was demolished down to three retained walls, with an entirely new two-storey structure built in its place. A glazed first-floor surround adjoins the original fabric, giving the building a contemporary presence on the street while maintaining a connection to what came before.
The exterior is where Michelmersh’s products are most visible. Freshfield Lane handmade and moulded the bricks into a distinctive leaf pattern, with FabSpeed producing the pro-clad soffit panels, feature panels and large prefabricated leaf murals in Freshfield Lane First Quality Multi facing bricks. Bricks were cut and bonded to a backing sheet and installed as attached panels. The result is a facade that is precise, considered and unmistakably crafted, a long way from anything off the shelf.
Inside, the building goes well beyond the conventional library offer. It now houses a modern cafe, a co-working business lounge, bookable community spaces, a significantly expanded children’s library with dedicated outdoor space, and a range of work and study areas throughout. Public toilets on each floor are a practical but telling detail, reflecting a building designed to be used properly rather than visited briefly.
Most notably, the scheme introduces the first Makerspace in any Bromley library, equipped with 3D printers, a die cutter and sewing machines to serve residents and local entrepreneurs. Over £1 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund was secured to support specialist facilities of this kind.
The library sits within a broader regeneration of the site. The adjacent car park has been redeveloped as a residential scheme of 26 affordable homes delivered as part of Bromley’s Homes for Bromley People programme. Twelve mews-style homes with gardens and roof terraces sit alongside 14 apartments with balconies, providing much-needed housing that also helped fund the library’s redevelopment. Planning approval was granted in spring 2022, with the scheme completing in 2025.
The West Wickham facade demonstrates the practical value of having a brickmaker and a prefabricator working as one. Freshfield Lane has been producing handmade clay bricks for generations, and that knowledge is what allows a brief as specific as a moulded leaf pattern to be delivered with confidence. FabSpeed then takes those bricks and builds them into large-format panels that arrive on site ready to install, cutting programme time without cutting corners. The craft and the efficiency sit together rather than pulling against each other.
For architects and developers with ambitious briefs, a conversation with the Michelmersh Group is well worth having. The Group’s range of clay products and prefabrication options is broad, the technical knowledge runs deep, and the process from specification to delivery is more straightforward than many expect. Contact our sales team today to find out more: Sales@mbhplc.co.uk.
