The Harris first opened to the public in 1893. Built by the local authority, it brought together museum, art gallery and library functions and has continued to serve as a cherished cultural and community space ever since. The neo-classical building is Grade 1 listed, comprising basement archive spaces, a ground floor library, and three upper floor gallery spaces.

The project aimed to improve adaptability and accessibility, while strengthening connections to the public realm. This involved full refurbishment of the building, including restoration of many internal spaces to their original standing. Exhibition galleries were upgraded to meet Government Indemnity Scheme standards, enabling the building to host new and exciting temporary exhibitions. A new café, shop and events spaces were also introduced to support future operations.

We were appointed from project inception to design the mechanical electrical and public health services and supporting systems for the new gallery spaces. This included gallery lighting, data and communications infrastructure, flexible power requirements and internal climate control.

A key challenge was providing mechanical ventilation with heating and cooling to the second-floor galleries to meet Government Indemnity Scheme requirements within the constraints of a Grade 1 listed building and planning restrictions. We routed ductwork via existing skylights, working in close coordination with the structural engineer to achieve a discreet solution while maintaining the required environmental conditions.

Routing services through the historic building also presented constraints due to limited distribution routes. We used existing chimneys and voids for vertical service distribution, and introduced exposed trunking to distribute the necessary fire, communications, power and lighting cables. Suspended soffit-mounted services were developed in close coordination with the architect and interpretation designer to integrate services within gallery spaces without compromising the building fabric or exhibition layouts.

The Harris reopened its doors in September 2025, with Preston City Council celebrating the incredible collaboration of contractors, designers, architects, and consultants whose technical excellence has transformed this much-loved landmark for a new era. The success of the project has since been recognised through a shortlist for Restoration or Conservation Project of the Year at the 24th annual Museums + Heritage Awards, celebrating the sensitive revitalisation of this Grade I listed cultural venue.