Leo Baeck Public Reading Room A Project By: Square Feet Architects Location: Finchley, London A new public reading room for Leo Baeck College has been completed at the Sternberg Centre for Judaism, transforming a former convent and heritage prayer spaces into a vibrant, accessible library environment. Designed by Square Feet Architects, the £500,000 project relocates one of Europe’s most significant Anglo- Jewish collections from basement storage into a purpose-designed, ground floor setting, opening it up to students, scholars and the wider public. The project reimagines a series of historically layered spaces within the College’s Grade II* listed Manor House and its later additions. The former synagogue hall—previously redundant despite its scale and presence—has been converted into the primary reading room, with the adjacent 19th-century billiard room restored and integrated as a flexible extension for events and gatherings. At the heart of the design is a strategy of minimal intervention and maximum clarity. The removal of a poorly scaled partition between the two principal spaces has created a strong visual and physical connection, replaced by a new opening with sliding pocket doors concealed within bespoke bookcases. This allows the reading room to expand seamlessly when required, supporting lectures, exhibitions and community … Continue reading The Sternberg Centre For Judaism