Woodland Trust

A competition entry for a new visitor centre in Surrey for the Woodland Trust. We proposed two linear, extendable buildings framing a courtyard and commanding views across the site. We devised a simple timber portal frame element that creates a strong rhythm, was designed to be assembled by volunteers, and reflects the local context.

At Langley Vale, the earth is heavy with flint. Planting trees requires the removal of this flint, which becomes our first building material. This can be sorted and packed into gabions – our first building material. Our second is larch, if possible sourced from within the Trust’s own properties in Scotland. Over time, the exposed larch will silver to blend with the stands of trees adjacent. Internally, the larch will stay golden, lending warmth to the interior. The third material of our simple palette is weathering steel – a contemporary building material, yet one whose patina evokes autumnal colours, and one where the natural variation of shade and pattern will help the centre to blend with its woodland setting.