Building type | Not selected |
Building age | post 2000 |
Location | |
Cost of work | |
District | St Edmundsbury |
Features | Solar Hot Water Heating,Natural Materials,Insulation and Glazing,Climate Adapted |
Bradfield Woods is one of East Anglia’s most important ancient woods with a history extending back over 1,000 years. The new Suffolk Wildlife Trust visitor centre is mostly green-oak framed and built on a simple oak beam foundation with the external walls clad in western red cedar.
Come along to be truly inspired!
Sustainability Features
The first challenge was to develop a design that would sit comfortably in its woodland setting. The building it replaced was little more than a glorified shed. That was demolished and the new building was sited amongst the trees nearby.
The aim was to make this building as eco-friendly as possible with the following targets:
- Ideally the building would be carbon negative, i.e. there will be more carbon locked up in the fabric of the building than was used to construct it.
- No concrete or gypsum plaster would be used in the construction
- The timber would be sourced from the nearest locations possible
- Recycled materials would be used where possible
In a nutshell, the building would be mostly green-oak framed and built on a simple oak beam foundation – literally just resting on the ground. The external walls are clad in western red cedar and the roof clad in zinc.
It is not a large building, only 13.3m x 8.8m. It will consist of a main multi-purpose room (education, display etc), two disabled WC’s, an office and a covered walk through area with interpretation.
Design Process
Grants
Green Lifestyle
Evaluation
Suppliers and Professional Services Used
Awards