Mottisfont Abbey opens Welcome Centre featuring designs by Grant Associates

National Trust opens new Welcome Centre for Mottisfont set within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and featuring a landscape strategy by Grant Associates.

18 FEBRUARY 2016, HAMPSHIRE, UK

Summary

National Trust opens new Welcome Centre for Mottisfont set within Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and featuring a landscape strategy by Grant Associates.

Located on the banks of a tributary of the river Test in Hampshire, Mottisfont’s new, wood-built Centre is part of an environment that includes ancient trees and richly biodiverse meadows, which serve as a flood plain.

Grant Associates has worked in close partnership with the Welcome Centre’s designer Burd Haward Architects to ensure that every aspect of the new building and its surrounding area fully responds to the importance of the site’s SSSI status and protects the function of the flood plain.

Interventions to minimise the impact of the scheme on this sensitive environment include, for example, the use of raised, timber walkways to connect the new visitor amenities to the priory and gardens.

With a strong focus on sustainability, the Welcome Centre is supported by steel stilts that help to protect the drainage function of the peat soil beneath. Other sustainable features include a log-fuelled biomass boiler (supplied with wood from the estate), and solar panels on the roof.

The £3.5m scheme was created in response to a rapid increase in visitor numbers to the 13^th century priory and its gardens. The creation of a detailed landscape strategy, which demonstrated a sensitive response to the site’s delicate ecological and historic environment, was a key factor in securing planning for the new Welcome Centre.

Peter Chmiel, Director at Grant Associates, comments: “We are very proud that we were able to contribute to the improved visitor experience and facilities at this historically important and popular National Trust property.

“The new welcome building, arrivals sequence and associated landscape enhancements avoid impact on the flood plain, whilst making positive improvements in connectivity and experience for people and nature alike.”

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Quotes

"We are very proud that we were able to contribute to the improved visitor experience and facilities at this historically important and popular National Trust property. The new welcome building, arrivals sequence and associated landscape enhancements avoid impact on the flood plain, whilst making positive improvements in connectivity and experience for people and nature alike." Peter Chmiel, Director at Grant Associates

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About Grant Associates

Grant Associates is a pioneering international landscape architecture practice. Our work reconnects people with nature in insightful, delightful and distinctive ways whilst addressing the global challenges of urbanisation, the climate crisis and biodiversity extinction.

Our design process is underpinned by a knowledge of human behaviour, nature and ecological science combined with innovative design technology. We bring original thinking, creative collaboration and are exploring what regenerative design and the circular economy means to landscape architecture.

Our varied portfolio includes ambitious large-scale, landmark projects through to small, local ventures.

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