Project
Year
Location
Type
Category
Competition
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GREAT FEN VISITOR CENTRE
2013
Cambridgeshire, UK
Exhibition, mixed-use
Concept design plan
RIBA
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The visitor centre is to support the habitat creation of the Great Fen while providing socio-economic benefits to local economy. The visitor centre is designed to the highest standards of sustainability, using local renewable materials and energy resources.
METAPHOR
The Grebes nest is the metaphor for the visitor centre as the nest blends in with its natural environments and adapts to changing water levels. Grebes build the nests in shallow water, and though they are often anchored at one point they are basically floating on the water. So, even if the water level rises, neither the nest nor the offspring are damaged. The visitor centre responds the same way to the surrounding. Anchored on the bird-watch tower, the visitor centre floats on a pontoon foundation in the middle of wetland area. It is adaptive to changing water levels.
CENTRE OF THE GREAT FEN HABITATS
The visitor centre encloses an open space that reveals the different habitats of the Great Fen. The habitats literally intersect the building with their nature, opening up their views. So these intersections do not only frame the habitats, but also integrate them within the visitor centre. It gives the visitors the opportunity to get in close contact with plants and animals of the habitats, such as eels or cattle. The open space is besides an orientation point to the Great Fen habitats, also a public plaza that hosts local markets, crafts fairs and events such as sheep shearing, falconer shows, open air theatre and so on.
THE LANDSCAPE EXPERIENCE
Natural elements such as reeds, trees or wide-open spaces are used to control sequences of views as visitors move through the landscape of the Great Fen and arrive at the visitor centre. The information point building is where all paths come together. Clad in thatch, camouflaged like a birdwatcher’s blind it provides shelter for information of the area, the visitor centre, rental services and bicycle cabs.
THE ARRIVAL AT THE VISITOR CENTRE
From the information point building starts the pier that floats between bollards, passing through the reeds over the water of the Great Pond where the visitor experiences the open water as the pier bends toward the bird-watch tower of the visitor centre. The bird-watch tower anchors the floating visitors centre and marks the entrance. Like the bollards of the pier, it has on top a LED lighted cube.
THE PLAN
The visitor centre includes a mix-use program to provide information concerning the Great Fen and climate change and to facilitate activities, supporting local economy.
RECEPTION . BIRD-WATCH TOWER . PUBLIC LAVATORIES . STABLE . SECURE STORAGE . OFFICE + STAFF AREA . MULTI-FUNCTIONAL AREA . TEAROOM CAFETARIA . EXHIBITION SPACE . SHOP
ENERGY
Geothermal heating system. The energy generated by the ground source heat pump is 100% renewable. The power to operate the heat pump comes from the windmills mounted on the bird-watching tower. The visitor centre temperature is controlled by concrete core activation, which works with water at low temperature, allowing reuse of wastewater for thermal energy. Solar energy harvesting. Photovoltaic solar cells integrated in the glass. Local renewable materials. British larch, straw bales, sheep's wool, lime and thatch are the building materials for the visitor centre. Sustainable food production by use of algae ponds, livestock, vegetable gardens and bio digesters producing methane, a biogas for cooking. |