St James’ Church

St James’ Church Islington was built in 1875 in the 13th century French style and has been cared for most of its history by its former patrons, the Clothworkers’ Livery Company.

To commemorate the 450th anniversary of William Lambe’s Mastership, of the Clothworkers’ Company, Freehaus were appointed to design a new gallery and organ reconfiguration.

The proposed restoration and adaptation of the existing organ has allowed the sound to address both the church’s Chancel and Nave, providing St James’ with an instrument that services the needs of congregation and celebrates its community outreach programme.

To achieve this goal, we faced challenges both technically and physically. Working alongside the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) and organ specialist Paul Mortier, we delivered a solution that optimises the sound quality and respects the existing building fabric.

St James’ is a living structure and has evolved and been reshaped throughout its 145 years of existence. Therefore, our starting point was bold yet sympathetic to context.

Our proposal introduces a new and discrete steel platform, sitting atop the existing column capitols. The slender profile allows the hand gilded dummy pipes to appear as floating over the leading edge, creating a sense of lightness.

To allow the sound to travel through the whole of the church, a perforated screen is proposed to the facade addressing the Nave. Drawing cues from the exceptional design motifs found across the church’s interior, the fabric has been stretched across a geometric wood frame referencing the freeze on the wall of the Apses, and will borrow a muted cream tone from the existing Aisle walls.

The soffit to the proposed organ gallery continues this narrative. Also referencing the St James’ existing geometric language, we proposed a reconstituted stone matching tonally with the wall of the South Aisle.

The new dummy pipes and the existing pipes will be gilded in an antique gold post modern finish, so that both sets of pipes can age concurrently, preserving the intended relationship for years to come.