Site and Brief Description

 

Located in the landscape of Silvermine, the site consists of the natural elements of vegetation and rock, with the only man made element being a gravel road running along its edge.The brief specified the design of a small conference centre within the natural landscape. The architecture needed to embody the notion of perfect order.

 

Searching for Perfect Order

 

The project focused on the creation of an architecture that performs as an extension of its natural surroundings, yet one which filters through the arbitrary form of the natural environment and seeks to create perfect order. This is done by separating the elements of stone, vegetation and wood which make up this landscape and ordering them in a built space. Connection to nature and the notion of perfect order is embodied in the following the design approaches:

 

Transparency invites surrounding natural environment into building and maximises sea and mountain views

Ordered progression through layers following the natural contours of the site

Vertically ordered varying panels mirror rhythym of nature

Serene atmosphere created through a building that seems to be floating

Permeable central core provides a strong connection to surrounding nature

The symmetrical 'perfect ideal' of pitched roof