Long hoped for and now complete, the Design Archives are delighted to begin the new academic year with a much improved document store housing some of their most important collections.  The store has been relocated and fitted out from scratch with greatly enhanced environmental controls that will eliminate fluctuations in temperature and humidity.  This brings it into line with key recommendations in British Standard BS 5454:2000, Recommendations for the Storage and Exhibition of Archival Documents.  The work involved packing and removing all the records from the original store, then dismantling and reconfiguring our system shelving, before returning them safely to the new facility.

The costs have been shared between the university and the Design Archives, made possible by our grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (see National Recognition for Design Archives), and the planning process with the Estates department began in earnest in autumn 2010.  We are grateful for her advice to Wendy Walker, Senior Archivist at East Sussex Record Office and Programme Manager for The Keep.  Also for project-management on site to Marcus Haden for Frank Sandell & Sons.