Brockholes Visitor Village

A few months ago I visited Brockholes Visitor Village, designed by Adam Khan Architects. 

The scheme modestly sits within the Brockholes nature reserve (12/15/2012), on an artificial pond, surrounded by wetland landscape and its inhabitants. 

As we approached by a car, after setting off from the busy M6, a long 10 mph limit narrow way instantly transformed our mindset.

We sensed calmness, slowness and a crescendo of 'anticipation' as 'something' was going to appear from behind the trees.

Brockholes Visitor Village, from the approach driveway

The first sight of the visitor centre became apparent - a village-like settlement floating on water. 

With the vastness of the moody sky and the horizontal landscape, the composition of this image was iconic and drew our attention straight away. 

We continued through the approach road and the building was hidden behind a bank, but the imagery that we just saw was still strong in presence in our minds.

Brockholes Visitor Village, from the approach driveway

After parking, the approach journey by foot was equally dramatic.

Now, we were walking towards the sun, with the oak-shakes-cladded roofline gradually becoming clearer to our eyes. 

The banks and the reeds are lit and come into life with colours. 

Daylight bounces against the water and the sky is still massive. 

By this point, we felt a real sense of arrival to this visitor centre.

Visitors village exterior - a floating structure

The construction of this architecture is simple but very well executed. The dwelling-scale structures are timber construction (using glulam beams) with oak vertical slats. 

Interior - restaurant area with large openings

The proportioning of the budget seems simple. 

Use affordable building materials but invest well on openings and the floating structure (pontoon construction). 

The finishes bring out the 'humane' feel of the 'village' but also show respect and friendliness to the wildlife that would inhabit in and around this site.

Entrance to the village - connection bridge

As mentioned, the village is a floating structure where concrete pontoon goes up and down in relation to the water level of the pond. 

The site is within a flood risk area, and hence it needed to have a sustainable strategy to live with such natural conditions. 

Visitors would access the village using the two bridges that connect with the land - these detach themselves when the area is flooded so the structure can 'ascend' with water.

Sky, water and the visitor centre

For me, the best experience at Brockholes always had emphasis on the outdoor journeys in relation to the building - it became a reference point that revealed certain views and areas of the surrounding landscape. 

The water was key, but the sky was equally significant. 

I am too used to the sky we see in the congested urban setting - the emotion and the vastness of fast-changing cloudscape I saw that day was overwhelming.

The visitor centre became beautiful still life objects that enhanced such contemplative experience.

-lenga910