Project Title: Baden-Powell Outdoor Centre
Location: Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour
Wood Species: WESTERN RED CEDAR, HEMLOCK, BIRCH, BIRCH PLY
Project Description
The Baden Powell Outdoor Centre was commissioned by The National Trust and the Brownsea Island Scout and Guide Committee to celebrate the centenary of the first scout camp on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour. Planning consent was obtained on this very sensitive site on the understanding that the buildings would be in harmony with the landscape, low carbon in both construction and use and designed to prevent contamination of the SSSI on which it is built. The buildings provide for a Heritage Centre, teaching space, showers, wc, washup facilities, staff accommodation and storage and are situated on a sloping site overlooking the original camp site. The site was extremely challenging as it had no electricity, gas or sewerage utilities and was accessed from a dirt track road about one kilometer from the quay on the Brownsea Island.
The design intention was to create and encampment of simple but poetic buildings clustered around an external activity space overlooking the site of the original scout camp. The buildings touch the ground lightly and were inspired by the form of the original ridge pole tents used in the first encampment and the spirit of the scouting ideal to “leave the land as found”.
The buildings orientation and form were carefully considered to maximize the penetration of daylight for passive solar heating benefits and minimise electrical loads. The envelope was carefully designed with openings placed only within the sheltered gable ends. Sliding folding doors open up fully in summer to provide sheltered spaces with level access from the external decked area whilst frameless double glazing above allows abundant daylight to penetrate the building all year round. Superstructure and linings are made from pre fabricated insulated timber cassettes held within a glue laminated timber frame resting on steel screw pile foundations. The interior of the building is lined with birch ply whilst the external “fabric” of the building is clad entirely in untreated western red cedar shingles and boards. Penetrations through the shingle canopy were avoided to remove risks of water damage in this exposed coastal site. The decking and landscape are carefully arranged within the slope of the site to make a series of fully accessible buildings. The main buildings are held above ground level, allowing natural ventilation below the timber floor cassettes, whilst the smaller outbuildings sit on concrete rafts.
The Outdoor Activity Centre was constructed to an extremely tight budget of £534,000 for a gross floor area of 382sqm (treated floor area 244sqm). The contractors had to deal with the extreme logistical problems of bringing materials, plant and machinery from the mainland to this small island without modern quayside facilities on a sea going barge in the middle of winter. The main building arrived in stillages strapped to articulated lorry trailers which were maneuvered onto the island, unloaded onto agricultural trailers and hauled 1 kilometer across a rough track to the site.
BUILDING OWNER: THE NATIONAL TRUST (IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SCOUTING ASSOCIATION)
ARCHITECT: WILKINSON KING
BUILDER / MAIN CONTRACTOR: FRAMEWORK CDM
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: PACKMAN LUCAS ENGINEERING
JOINERY: FRAMEWORK CDM
