The proposed Great Fen Visitor Centre consists of three barns arranged on the edge between land and water in a clear orthogonal layout. The buildings are gathered around an open space that will represent the welcoming meeting point for single visitors and groups as well as the ideal setting for outdoor activities and events. All functional elements of the centre are directly accessible from the courtyard and connected to a variety of additional components such as the path leading to the viewing tower, the water taxi pier and the secluded garden of the meeting room. The goal is to find a balance between architecture and landscape, loosening the boundaries between inside and outside, allowing different views and encouraging the curiosity for an individual, non preset experience. The parking area is arranged on the southern boundary of the site, with a double parallel connection to the Centre: the visitors’ access path, with the wild-play area located half way, and the staff access road leading to the carport and the offices-barn.
vista da nord
© Marco Arrigoni . Published on March 10, 2013.
The barns differ in length but share the same structural design: the idea is to magnify the intensity of the expression through brevity and simplicity. Morphology and construction technique are supposed to establish a recognition link with the salient local architectural character, thus possibly providing involvement of local enterprises, too. Porches and few strategically placed generous openings connect the buildings to the surroundings; long wooden walls define terraces and paths and guide the view towards the horizon. The new buildings favour the use of natural materials – such as wood, clay, water-reed-thatch – for their susceptibility to physical change over time as well as for their humble and rustic appearance. The Visitor Centre uses on-site renewable sources.
planivolumetrico
© Marco Arrigoni . Published on March 10, 2013.
Landscape design The landscape design is based on the guidelines of the Great Fen Masterplan and the vegetation project aims to restore natural ecosystems by creating large forest areas (Betula pendula, Ulmus, Populus tremula spp, Salix spp), extensive reedbeds, shrubbery- areas planted with berry-producing small trees and shrubs to attract a wide variety of wildfowl. Creating habitats for bird-watching is a cornerstone of the project. More formal landscaping using native vegetation will be used around the new barns, along the paths and around the parking area. Near to the meeting room a garden designed with a distinct geometry has been planned to provide a link between the architecture and the natural environment. The plant species have been chosen to highlight the site throughout each season of the year. The visual impact of banks of yellow iris, white blooms of nimphaee in the long pool and breadth of the birch wooded areas will also give the new visitor centre of the Park great ecological and envirovinmental value. The wild-play area will offer educational, hands-on activities for children, including nature trails and wildlife and plant identification games.
vista aerea
© Marco Arrigoni . Published on March 10, 2013.
Logo revisited, the bottom natural line is kept, the text is moved to touch it and the font has been changed into Helvetica. It’s a sort of logo growing out of the vegetation.
© Marco Arrigoni . Published on March 10, 2013.
Signage all the elements are in the same material used for the buildings (cedar wood), the graphic is a direct digital print, so there’s no plastic or other material usually used for signage.
planimetria generale
© Marco Arrigoni . Published on March 10, 2013.
Font Helvetica, for its simplicity and high readability.
vista da sud ovest
© Marco Arrigoni . Published on March 10, 2013.
Wildlife A specific array of several devices will promote the coexistence of humans and wildlife as a reciprocal benefit, as well as enhancing environmental quality for animals in and around the visitor centre. This would include permanent fixtures such as bird feeders, nest boxes, artificial resting rafts, bat boxes, insect hotels, stone-pile shelters for small animals and wildflower patches to attract bees and butterflies. These devices may vary in character and visibility, from openly designed to low-key, from detectable to hidden, from playful to aesthetic and refined. Furthermore a specific pattern of habitat corridors in different scales and forms, like stepping-stone patches, linear corridors and underpasses, will prevent potential fragmentation of different resource areas and splitting up of once continuous habitat usually associated with human intervention.
ingresso
© Marco Arrigoni . Published on March 10, 2013.
Energy concept The heated volume of the buildings is about 6,000 cubic metres; a complete thermal insulation will achieve high energy efficiency class (A grade) with a target value of 5 kWh/m3 p.a. With an estimated winter demand of about 30,000 kWh p.a. heating will be provided by radiant panels, ideal for large volume heights. The power plant will consist of a high efficiency heat pump, with four geothermal probes reaching a depth of 100 m. Cooling during warm season will be achieved through natural cross ventilation and the convective updraft created by solar chimneys. Remote controlled mechanical devices built in the chimneys may contribute to improve air quality throughout the year, too. The estimated electricity needs will be approximately 36,000 kWh p.a., mostly for lighting and heat pump. A 20 kW small scale wind turbine is expected to cover the entire power requirement of the complex. Rain water will be collected, filtered and used as grey water for everyday use, black water will be conveyed to an on-site constructed wetlands treatment system. In this way, the visitor centre will be completely self-sufficient, make use of renewable energy and beget the lowest possible carbon footprint.
profili
© Marco Arrigoni . Published on March 10, 2013.
Financial viability The subtle work of converting restraints, even in terms of budget, into conspicuous conciseness, and thus reaching a skilful incisiveness matched with a commonly shared, genuine beauty, is one of the main characteristics of the design approach. As a consequence thereof the plan minimizes needs and sets aside expensive glamorous architectural excesses; even in this early phase it is predictable that the project will succeed in adapting itself to future changes and take advantage of any external input. Appropriate available strategies may include modular development for the single barns, congruous and fruitful definition of details with local workers and cost saving involvement of regional enterprises in terms of mutual economic return through high publicity potential.
particolari
© Marco Arrigoni . Published on March 10, 2013.