Great Fen Visitors Centre, RIBA Competition Proposal

2013年1月、RIBA（王立英国建築協会）主催の建築コンペに応募した案です。

英国ケンブリッジ州にあるGreat Fens自然保護区に開くビジターセンターのデザインが募集され、200以上の建築家／建築チームがプロポーザルを提出。

本案はラスト30まで残りましたが、惜しくも最終選考で落ちてしまいました。

This is a proposal for the Great Fens Visitors Centre in Cambridgeshire - an RIBA competition entry where I collaborated with some of my colleagues and my good friend @mr_aliabbas.

The shortlist was announced in Feburary (which we didn't make...) but we were delighted to make the longlist of final 30.

It certainly gave hope to young and unknown teams like us - we will aim to build on from here and develop our team ethic in future competitions.

The following images and text are extracted from our submission panels:

Conceived as a floating structure, the proposal creates a mutual relationship with the changing water level of the Fens, evoking the heritage of the waterways and utilising the wetland characteristics to enhance the visitor experience.

A new focal point in the landscape is created by a pond upon which the new Centre floats. 

The circular form of the building ensures 360° views of the developing reserve. 

A playful relationship of the views is achieved via a charred timber slatted façade, which in addition provides shading for the building. 

The design of the Pond is central to the scheme, creating a gravitas, focus and context within which the centre, as a window into the nature reserve, would sit.
It creates an immediate presence from the beginning of the development, enabling incremental growth and maturing of the flora and fauna while creating an initial buzz to attract visitors to the reserve from Day 1.

Internal spaces are designed to maximize flexibility, with key functional spaces encased in galvanized metal nests, encircled by free-flowing public spaces to exude the essence of a village settlement.

The verticality of the tower acts as a sculptural contrast to the horizontal nature of the land and the perpetual skies, while  providing an elevated view of the surrounding landscape.

The contemporary protruding 'core' tower was introduced, fashioned by the vernacular forms of the surrounding area through historical windmill forms. 

Within the 360 degrees building perimeter are series of enclosed spaces with specific functions. 

The generous 'in-between' spaces enable users and the management to interpret them in different ways for flexible use.

As a collective, they form a settlement within the Visitor Centre, creating a 'village-like' feel that is also distinctive character of the Great Fen region.