The “Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme” will be the timely topic for this year’s Icon Annual Lecture. We are delighted to bring together three speakers who will talk about the work being undertaken to balance the needs of a 21st century parliament with the care and preservation of a globally significant estate and its collections.

The earliest surviving elements of the estate include Westminster Hall, which dates back to 1099, but the present buildings were largely constructed in the mid nineteenth century, following the devastating 1834 fire that destroyed many of the earlier structures. An open design competition to rebuild the palace was won by Charles Barry, supported by Augustus Welby Pugin, and their iconic creation is now recognised as one of the finest examples of Victorian neo-Gothic architecture.

In addition to their key role as the seat of Government, the Houses of Parliament form part of the Palace of Westminster UNESCO World Heritage Site, which welcomes more than a million visitors annually. The Houses of Parliament are also home to a significant collection of working and decorative objects, adding a further layer of complexity to an already challenging project to repair and upgrade the building fabric and services.

Through a series of three interlinked talks, our speakers will consider the purpose and vision of the Restoration and Renewal Programme and will share their experiences of the incredible complexities of delivering one of the largest conservation projects to take place in the UK in recent decades.