Alongside a permanent exhibition space, some 18,500 m² of mobile shelving for valuable books and magazines has been provided, plus a ‘strong room’ which provides environmentally controlled storage for historical photographs, films, unique textiles and historical papers. A conference suite, reading room and offices also feature.

Situated on Leeds University’s Western Campus and next to the new Law School, another Broadway Malyan design, the Archive Building is orthogonal in form to complete the southern edge of a University green. The building is wrapped in a distinctive bronze-tinted mirror glass façade, which protects the interiors from direct sunlight and reflects the changing conditions and surroundings.

This glass façade is folded to represent the pages of a book or the folds of a dress, a reference to the items held within the archives. The building is designed to the highest environmental standards and is rated BREEAM Excellent.