A gateway that treads lightly between history and presence


Dover Castle, perched high above the White Cliffs, is one of England’s most iconic ancient monuments. With growing visitor numbers, English Heritage faced a delicate challenge: how to welcome thousands more people each year without compromising the integrity of the site. They needed a new admissions building that could orient, shelter and serve, yet remain visually deferential to the centuries of military and civic architecture that surround it.

The site was highly sensitive, archaeologically, visually, and topographically. The brief called for a building that would feel like a natural evolution of the site’s long architectural timeline, while meeting modern standards of accessibility, sustainability and visitor care.


Nominated - RIBA Award
























We designed a modest, low-lying structure nestled beneath the slopes of St Mary’s Church and the Roman Pharos. Inspired by the small buildings scattered across the castle terraces, the new admissions building takes a simple, horizontal form with a sedum-planted roof and untreated oak cladding that will age into the tones of the surrounding stone and flint.































Constructed on a shallow raft foundation to protect archaeological remains, the building is designed for minimal impact and long-term durability. The interior is bright, legible and accessible. A glazed ticket hall with oak and hemlock finishes opens to the east, where full-height sliding doors can welcome large summer crowds. The building also includes welfare facilities, a staff room and a sheltered external space for gathering.

Carefully oriented openings and a single shared rooflight reduce energy demand. Heating is electric, and passive strategies ensure thermal comfort throughout the year.

















Completed within 12 months of appointment, the project was a collaboration between English Heritage, architect and contractor. The building now quietly transforms how visitors arrive at the castle, elegant, calm and welcoming.

Dedicated to Lord Bruce Lockhart, it is a modern gateway to a place that has shaped England’s past, built with care for its future.





Photography: @ Paul Tyagi