18 November 2009: New Zealand Parliament Extension

Sir Basil Spence is perhaps best known for his design for the rebuilding of Coventry Cathedral.  His other well known work includes the British Embassy in Rome, the New Zealand Parliament Extension, Edinburgh University Library and Glasgow Airport.

In 2003, the Spence family presented RCAHMS with a collection of over 40,000 items. This unique archive is made up of elements from Sir Basil's personal life, his student days in Edinburgh, and his entire professional career. It includes office drawings and sketches, files, photographs, news cuttings, models and personal papers.

The collection has been expertly conserved and catalogued, and in 2007–08 was the subject of a hugely successful exhibition that ran at the National Galleries of Scotland, Dean Gallery in Edinburgh, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in London and the Herbert Gallery, Coventry.

The Sir Basil Spence Archive contains 44 drawings, five photographs and four manuscript folders containing correspondence, news cuttings and publications relating to the New Zealand Parliament extension.