Sevenoaks Nature and Wellbeing Centre Design Competition, KWT Architecture Contest News

Sevenoaks Nature and Wellbeing Centre Competition

Kent Wildlife Trust Open Design Contest in Sevenoaks, England, UK – RIBA News

24 Oct 2017

Sevenoaks Nature and Wellbeing Centre Design Competition

Design competition for Sevenoaks Nature and Wellbeing Centre

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is pleased to announce the launch of an open design competition on behalf of Kent Wildlife Trust. The competition is seeking designs for a new visitor centre for Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve in Kent. The new visitor centre will be the flagship visitor centre for Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT) offering key messaging around nature, health and wellbeing.

Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve in Kent:

photograph : H. W. Atkins

The Kent Wildlife Trust is seeking registered architects and architect-led teams worldwide to put forward designs that promote learning, wellbeing, curiosity and nature. Wildlife and landscape will be important – the centre should have elements that can accommodate wildlife as well as people, and be a natural companion and complement to the reserve it serves. Wherever possible it should build the connection with nature and be designed with health outcomes in mind for staff and centre-users.

The RIBA Competitions judging panel includes Lynne Sullivan as the RIBA Adviser.

John Bennett, CEO, Kent Wildlife Trust said:
“We are particularly excited to be working with RIBA to invite a truly innovative response to our vision for a new visitor centre at Sevenoaks. We are extremely proud of Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve and its history and it deserves the ingenuity, inventiveness and innovation that we know RIBA Competitions will deliver through their global community of architects. This competition will serve to provide a unique space for people to really understand their connection with nature and its impact on all of us.”

The initial phase of the competition will require teams to submit designs anonymously, in digital format only. Four concept designs will then be shortlisted for further development at the second phase. Each shortlisted designer will receive an honorarium of £3,000 + VAT.

For further information about how to enter the competition please visit: www.ribacompetitions.com/sevenoaks

The closing date for first stage entries is Tuesday 5 December at 14.00 hours.

Sevenoaks building:

photo by Richard Croft, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4397266

Background

The ‘Nature and Wellbeing Centre’ will be the gateway to Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve. It will be a place to discover, learn, research, be active, get connected, give and explore. It will be the first centre of its kind in the country dedicated to connecting people and nature in ways that evidence and demonstrate positive benefits for both people and wildlife. It will also raise awareness about the importance of conservation work on our own wellbeing and that of the planet.

Sevenoaks Nature and Wellbeing Centre Design Competition information from RIBA Competitions

Location: Sevenoaks, Kent, England, UK

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