Courtyard Café

The Courtyard Café, completed at Durham University, is situated within the Palace Green Library Complex. The café has created a whole new and exciting facility associated with the adjacent exhibition galleries, creating a vibrant social area, and providing visitors and students access to refreshments and an area to relax and reflect upon the exhibitions, thus creating a unique visitor experience.

The designed project forms part of a much larger phased programme of conservation and renovation works throughout the entire Palace Green Library Complex.

Located at ground floor level, the listed buildings have many historical features, such as exposed trusses, beams, cornices and skirtings. These have been carefully retained to provide contrast with modern interventions to create the café. The Courtyard Café is designed as a contemporary space, including a structural glazed roof together with glass feature screen and door.

A new education outreach facility was also created on the ground floor, providing educational services to people who might not otherwise have access to them.