e: studio@glowacka-rennie.com
f: +44 (0) 870 912 1215
t: +44 (0) 207 739 3050
148 - 150 Curtain Road
Back Building
London EC2A 3AT

 

© Glowacka Rennie Ltd  

The desire to balance the needs of visitors and wildlife at Brockholes lead us to the concept of creating two sides to the masterplan, ‘nature and people’, ‘rural and urban’ and ‘conservation and recreation’ with a ‘boundary’ in between. The visitor centre is a manifestation of the site concept. It is a ‘boundary’ building of two halves to bridge between the two sides of the site.

The building allows people to cross over the boundary and experience / observe the wildlife without disturbing it. Conversely wildlife is allowed to enter the building in the central open space of the ‘garden’ and spills over into the new ‘park’ in the bowl formed by the bund - a new interactive activity wetland.

Formally there are two distinct halves to the building. To the north the building is lower, with visitors entering under an overhang via a walkway over water. To the south the building acts as a beacon to visitors arriving by car and affords spectacular views over the wetland reserve from the café, meeting spaces and viewing gallery.

BROCKHOLES VISITOR CENTRE, PRESTON, UK

Client: Lancashire Wildlife Trust

Architect: Glowacka Rennie

Visitor Centre Consultant: WWTC

Structural Engineer: Expedition Engineering

Environmental Consultant: XCO2

Quantity Surveyor: PT Projects