PROJECT OVERVIEW
As part of a major initiative by The Council of the Inns of Court to enhance facilities for Bar students, Middle Temple set out to create improved social and support spaces within its historic estate. In collaboration with Inner Temple, Middle Temple converted the Ashley Building into a social venue for members.
IKS led the project’s cost and project management from its earliest stages, ensuring the scheme balanced modern accessibility and user experience improvements with the sensitive heritage setting.
KEY PROJECT ELEMENTS
Connected Spaces
The building’s internal arrangement provided a strong foundation, but significant external interventions were required to improve connectivity, daylighting, and inclusivity.
Working closely with the City of London Planning Authority, the proposals delivered enhancements including:
• Direct, level access to Middle Temple Gardens, improving circulation for all users
• A repurposed entrance from Middle Temple Lane
• New lift access to the basement mezzanine (previously inaccessible to wheelchair users)
• Reconfigured reception and circulation areas to support better flow and staff functionality
• Enlarged openings to the garden elevation, bringing more daylight into lower levels
• Expanded slot windows along Middle Temple Lane to create visual engagement with the street
• Removal of mezzanine deck sections to introduce natural light to the lower basement
• Removal of the external stairs (perron) and enlarged lower-ground windows
The result is a more inclusive, welcoming space that supports the evolving needs of the legal community while respecting the architectural character of the building.
KEY PROJECT ELEMENTS
Connection to the Gardens
A key original ambition of the building was to create a strong physical and visual connection between the common rooms and Middle Temple Gardens, centred on the Portland stone perron staircase. Over time, successive internal alterations and the subdivision of ground-floor spaces diluted this relationship, leaving the staircase underused and disconnected from its intended role.
The project sought to carefully reinstate this historic link.
The existing perron was dismantled and reconstructed on a subtly widened footprint, enabling the introduction of new central double doors that now open directly from the social spaces into the gardens. Wherever possible, original stonework was retained and reinstated, ensuring that the renewed connection was achieved with sensitivity to the building’s historic fabric.
Added Value
IKS provided comprehensive project and cost leadership throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring smooth delivery in a complex heritage environment.
Our role included:
• Strategic cost planning and guidance through concept development and
pre-application consultation
• Coordination with the City of London and heritage stakeholders to secure
sensitive planning approvals
• Full commercial management and rigorous change control during construction
• Procurement leadership, contract administration, and final account delivery
• Continuous alignment of accessibility, heritage, and operational goals within
programme and budget
Through proactive leadership and transparent communication, we helped Middle Temple create a high-quality environment that enhances student experience and supports the future of legal training.
CLIENT: Middle Temple
LOCATION: London
ROLE: Quantity Surveyor and Project Manager
SECTOR: Heritage / Institutional
STATUS: Completed