This visitor centre is located on the site of a former gravel pit, now the Sevenoaks Nature Reserve. An elevated boardwalk provides the main approach to the building revealed through the tree canopy. A long, low, pavilion-like timber structure combines all of the required functions in one building. A large roof garden overlooks the East Lake which can be enjoyed as part of the reserve landscape by both people and wildlife. Nestling into the bank of the East Lake, the building provides new viewpoints and long vistas of the site. A tower with a belvedere breaks the line of the trees and marks the entrance to the visitor centre. It can also be used around the site as a point of reference, peeking between the tree canopy across the reserve.

December 2017
Location: Kent, UK
For: Kent Wildlife Trust
Size: 727m2