Langley Vale Visitor Hub
A Sustainable Visitor Centre for the Woodland Trust
Mark Wray Architects won the international RIBA open design competition for a new visitor hub for the Woodland Trust is based on the concept of a fallen tree. A fallen tree creates a clearing space in a wood that plays a vital role in the ecosystem, providing a rich micro-habitat for insects, birds, fungi and lichens. Our proposal, selected from over 220 entries, seeks to represent the qualities of deadwood by creating conditions to encourage wildlife to inhabit defined spaces, which would be observed and studied by the building’s visitors, alongside its practical function as a visitor facility.
The Hub will be located in Langley Vale, a 640 acre site on the edge of the M25 in Surrey, which will be the Woodland Trust's First World War Centenary Wood for England. New and ancient woodland will provide a living tribute to those affected by the First World War and will encourage visitors to head outdoors to enjoy the natural world. The new building will support an anticipated 180,000 visits per year.
