A new-build, yet traditionally detailed, passive archive is required for a major public/private residence and visitor attraction in Windsor. The archive will provide extremely stable conditions to house art, furniture, paper records, photographs, and general objects. Our approach has been to provide a heavy, airtight, optimised form and fabric to minimise gains and losses. A ground-coupled slab provides interseasonal stability. The servicing is minimal, primarily a small desiccant dehumidifier, which provides continuous, slow control of humidity levels.

Simple services are cheap to buy and run, less likely to go wrong, and, when they do, take longer to go out of range. All of this is in stark contrast to the highly serviced close-control approach that has been favoured by risk-averse or uninitiated conservators in the past. Part of our role is to help clients understand where the real risk lies.