Norwich Cathedral is one of the finest Norman buildings in Europe and a cultural and religious icon in the region. An impressive new visitor centre will now provide much-needed facilities for the many thousands of people who come to the city every year to enjoy the cathedral’s grandeur and history.

Funded partly by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant and partly by charitable donations, the award-winning ‘inspiration for the future’ project is being constructed in two phases. The Refectory, opened in 2004, was built on the site of the original refectory used by the Benedictine monks. An adjoining building, the Hostry, will house a shop and an education centre. When completed, the visitor centre will restore the cathedral to the scale it was some 900 years ago.

A key design requirement was that the Refectory scheme would be sympathetic to its surroundings while fulfilling the client’s need for modern visitor facilities. The two-storey building is constructed using traditional materials in a contemporary style.

The spectacular roof of laminated English oak is supported on slender columns, allowing unobstructed views of the medieval boundary walls. Specially developed stainless steel connectors accommodate movements in the frame structure.

Date: Phase 1: Completed in 2004. Phase 2: Current