Jamyang is a thriving Buddhist community based in the former Lambeth Magistrates’ Court in south London. The irony is not lost on them: when they moved into the building in 1995 they wanted to turn a place of harsh reform into a centre for ‘mindfulness, community, wisdom and compassion’.
Dating from 1869, the Grade II building was designed by Thomas Charles Sorby and retains many of its original features, but piecemeal development over the years had been carried out with no grand plan. In 2022 Jamyang commissioned us to undertake a feasibility study, which adheres to their five strategic priorities:
1. Care for our people
2. Prioritise sustainability
3. Support growing education programme
4. Enliven local community engagement
5. Promote diversity and inclusivity
Through observing day-to-day activities and speaking to key stakeholders, we built up a detailed analysis of the practices and the spaces that support them. This helped develop the masterplan brief and phasing. The project aims to:
- Improve the quality of life in residential accommodation for volunteers, monastics, lay tenants and guests. This includes the basement ‘cell block’ guest rooms, which still have bars on the windows from the time that the ‘guests’ were prisoners
- Improve offices, multi-purpose rooms and education spaces
- Create a contemplative remembrance garden
- Create a more welcoming entrance, with glass entrance doors and planting
- Renovate the café
- Remove gas boilers and introduce ASHPs
- Improve accessibility, fire safety and inclusivity for all needs throughout the building
We’re enjoying working with the Jamyang team, who are currently fundraising to make their vision a reality.
