Work on the refurbishment of the Temple Reading Room, one of Rugby School's most significant academic buildings, is set to begin early next year. The project forms a major part of the School's Estates Masterplan.

Since opening in 1879, the Temple Reading Room has been a place for reading, study and reflection. The refurbishment will preserve the architectural integrity of William Butterfield's design while creating a library that supports the needs of today's students and generations to come.

The ground floor will retain its role as a traditional library, with carefully designed areas for reading, research and independent study. New informal learning environments will give students greater flexibility to work in ways that best support their learning.

The first floor will see the most significant transformation. A new double-height room and mezzanine will become a focal point, celebrating the building's original architecture while creating additional quiet study areas. The mezzanine's distinctive saw-tooth design reflects the rhythm of the existing building and provides individual settings for focused academic work.

New collaborative study areas and a dedicated media room will support discussion, research and project-based learning, reflecting the principles of The Rugby Way. Students will be able to move seamlessly between independent preparation, collaborative learning and deeper academic enquiry within a single academic environment.

A new annex will provide a bright and flexible setting for group study, seminars and social learning. With direct access to a newly landscaped garden, the extension will bring natural light and a stronger connection to the outdoors into the heart of the School's academic life.

The refurbished Temple Reading Room will provide an environment designed for modern learning: a place where students can discover new ideas, challenge their thinking and develop the habits of scholarship that will serve them throughout their lives.